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Against All Odds

Fredonia Graduate Ruiz Making Most Of Opportunity With Bulls

By Matt Spielman 9 min read

AMHERST -- Jovany Ruiz is used to being told he can't do something.

In high school, he was an undersized quarterback for the Fredonia Hillbillies.

As a freshman at the University at Buffalo, he walked on to the track and field team.

Unsatisifed, he walked on to the Bulls' football team a year later.

After two seasons primarily on the scout team, his own coaches told him he wouldn't make it at the NCAA Division I level.

Then he tore his ACL.

Through it all, Ruiz has pushed on to prove his coaches wrong and "focused on getting his teammates better."

He's being rewarded this season.

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Upon leaving Fredonia High School in the summer of 2016, Ruiz wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do with his life.

He knew he wanted to go to college and he knew he'd like to play a sport.

"Football was never really in the plans, but I wanted to compete in a sport at the college level, whether it was track, wrestling, basketball or football," Ruiz said earlier this week.

That college turned out to be the University at Buffalo, but it took him a little while to find the football team.

"In track, I walked on to the team here … but I missed the camaraderie of a football team," Ruiz said. "I walked into football practice one day and said 'I can do that.' … My sophomore year I tried out for the team with eight or nine other guys. … They asked if I wanted to play safety or wide receiver and I chose wide receiver because I wanted the chance to get the ball."

While first learning the wide receiver position, Ruiz looked up to a pair of pretty decent role models. Anthony Johnson caught 133 passes for 2,367 yards and 25 touchdowns in two seasons with the Bulls. His counterpart, K.J. Osborn, caught 96 passes for 1,490 yards and 12 touchdowns in three seasons. Johnson has since caught on with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Los Angeles Chargers and Pittsburgh Steelers while Osborn was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in the fifth round of this past April's draft.

"I was ready to learn from the guys above me," Ruiz said. "I really looked up to them and they taught me a lot."

Ruiz began traveling with the team in the 2018 season and finally found the field for the Bulls.

"My first play ever on the team, I was a gunner for punt coverage and I forced a fumble," he said.

Getting his first taste of Division I football action made Ruiz excited for his future, but his career hit another roadblock after the season.

"I ran in to the coaching staff and asked them what I had to do to be a better player," he said. "I talked to (Coach Lance Leipold) and he said if I wanted to play college football, it wouldn't be here. … I felt lost for a moment after that season."

After being shot down by his coaches, Ruiz worked even harder to prove them wrong. He felt as prepared as ever heading into the 2019 season, but then he tore his ACL two weeks prior to the first game.

"I had a chip on my shoulder already and when the coaches said I couldn't play for them, it was hard to get up every day," he said. "… Every day I came to compete and I started to focus more on getting my teammates better. I didn't care if it was me or the guy next to me, I just knew the best guy would be on the field because I was competing against them."

That attitude has served Ruiz well over the past year. While rehabbing a pair of surgeries on his injured knee, UB had its spring practices cut short due to COVID-19. Again, Ruiz refused to be denied a contributing spot on the Bulls' roster.

"At the beginning of the summer I wasn't completely there yet. I was still banged up," he said. "I was hoping the season got pushed back a little bit and we could have a full season so I could come back at full strength."

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Finally this fall, he's getting his shot.

The Mid-American Conference reinstated football weeks after it canceled all fall sports competitions. Teams were given six-game schedules and on the team's first depth chart of the season, Ruiz was listed as a starting wide receiver, behind Antonio Nunn and Dominic Johnson.

"I had a strong camp and I felt like I belonged on that list," he said. "I was happy to see my name on that list just to show my mom. … It was definitely a proud moment."

For Buffalo's second game against Miami (Ohio), Ruiz was chosen to wear the coveted No. 41 jersey in honor of former Bulls defensive end Solomon Jackson, who collapsed while working out in the winter of 2016 and died a week later. Ruiz responded to the honor with the most productive game of his career to date -- three catches for 27 yards and a touchdown -- in UB's 42-10 victory.

"It felt amazing," Ruiz said of the touchdown catch. "I remember lining up and I knew the play. I knew there was a big chance it was coming to me. I ran a good route and caught it. I was super excited."

He was even flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct after his touchdown for a celebration that lasted a little too long in the eyes of the referee.

"There were so many emotions in that touchdown because of everything I had to go through," Ruiz said. "With all of the self-doubt I had, it was an amazing feeling. I can't wait for the next one."

Two days after Thanksgiving, Ruiz had four catches for 49 yards in the Bulls' 70-41 blowout of Kent State. In that same game, running back Jaret Patterson stole the headlines with 409 yards rushing and eight touchdowns.

"Our offense is amazing. We really have no weak points. We have an awesome offensive line and we have a couple of elite running backs," he said. "Our wide receivers, if you watch us play, everyone plays for each other."

UB has since cracked The Associated Press Top 25 and been declared the MAC East champions after their game last weekend at Ohio was canceled due to a rising number of COVID-19 cases within the Bobcats' program.

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The Bulls (4-0, 4-0) are now shooting for a perfect regular season as they host Akron (1-4, 1-4) this afternoon at UB Stadium (2:30 p.m., CBS Sports Network).

Leipold's team has already wrapped up a spot in the MAC championship game Friday, Dec. 18 (7:30 p.m., ESPN) at Ford Field in Detroit. They'll play either Western Michigan or Ball State with hopes of their first title since 2008 in just their third appearance in the game.

That's what Ruiz is focused on now. Despite being a walk-on and having not yet earned a scholarship, he accepts that team success is what's best for him.

"It's my fourth year on the team and for the first two years I was really chasing a scholarship and focusing on too many personal goals," he said. "Last year, after coach said that I couldn't play here, I came back with a team-first mindset."

A MAC title game victory would give the Bulls a strong argument at a fairly prestigous bowl game. While likely not in the argument for the College Football Playoff or a New Year's Six bowl, UB would be 6-0 and ranked in the high teens or low 20s if it wins its final two games.

"When I tore my ACL I was on a good track, but everything happens for a reason," Ruiz said. "I came back stronger. I'm still seeking a scholarship, but I'm seeking a MAC championship and a bowl ring more."

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When the coronavirus pandemic began to affect senior athletes' careers last spring and this fall, the NCAA decided to grant additional years of eligibility.

Ruiz has already earned his undergraduate degree in public health, but is working toward his master's degree in finance. With a year of studies remaining after the completion of this semester, Ruiz's personal calendar lines up perfectly with another year of football for the Bulls.

"I thought this was my last season ever … but then the news came out that seniors could have another season next year," he said. "I'll be at full strength next year. … Even though I've already worked so hard, I can only get stronger."

Earning a scholarship for that final season would be perfect, but either way Ruiz is going to live his life to the fullest and take full advantage of the opportunities he's been given.

"COVID really taught us to appreciate what we have and don't take anything for granted," he said. "That's a huge part of our motto … give it all we have every game because it might be the last time we see our guys."

He hopes to be a role model for future student-athletes from small schools like Fredonia in Chautauqua County.

"Not a lot of people from small schools have a chance to go to DI colleges and compete," Ruiz said. "I'm glad that right now the coaches at Fredonia are paving the right way for younger guys. They are reaching out to colleges and going to workouts. There is talent in small towns. It's important for everyone to get a fair shot at the opportunity to play at a higher level."

Ruiz acknowledges it isn't easy for local teenagers to get noticed on the big stage, but with a little outside help and a lot of his own determination, he paved that road for himself and hopes others take notice.

As a starting wide receiver on an undefeated Top 25 Division I football team, it seems others certainly have.

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