John Russ

John Russ prepares for a pass against Furman

Photo by: Judy Stapleton

John Russ back for a pass against Georgia Tech

Photo by: Judy Stapleton

Position:
Quarterback
Height:
6-0
Weight:
199
Class:
Sophomore
Letters:
1
Hometown:
Buford, Ga.
High School:
Mill Creek HS

Awards/Accolades
2016 NFF Hampshire Honor Society Inductee
2016 Mercer Offensive Player of the Year (Team Award)
2016 Mercer Team Captain (Team Honor)
2016 Academic All-SoCon Team
2016 FCS Bowl Offensive Most Valuable Player
2016 FCS Bowl National Team Captain
2016 SoCon Player of the Week (11/21/16)
2015 CFPA FCS Player of the Week Honorable Mention (9/12/15)
2015 SoCon Offensive Player of the Week (9/12/15)
2015 CFPA Offensive Performer of the Year Watch List
2014 Atlanta Area Boy Scouts of America Peach of an Athlete Role Model Honoree
2014 CFPA Offensive Performer of the Year Watch List
2014 CFPA Quarterback Watch List
2014 AFCA All-State Good Works Team Nominee
2014 SoCon Academic Honor Roll
2013 PFL Offensive Freshman of the Year
2013 All-PFL Academic Second Team
2013 PFL Academic Honor Roll
2013 Jerry Rice Award Finalist (The Sports Network)
2013 National Freshman of the Week (The Sports Network)
2013 PFL Offensive Player of the Week

Season-by-Season
2016

Completed impressive career as one of Mercer’s most decorated student-athletes
Started all 11 games as a senior, rounding out streak of 44 consecutive starts since freshman season
Guided Mercer to first winning season (6-5) since joining the SoCon
Totaled 26 total touchdowns (20 passing, six rushing)
Reset program passing yards record (2,335) for third time in his career
Averaged career-best 212.3 passing yards per game and added another career-best with a 58.8 completion percentage
Eclipsed 200-yard passing mark in six contests, including season-high 271 at Wofford (10/29/16)
Tossed three touchdowns in three separate games (Western Carolina, 10/15/16; Wofford 10/29/16; ETSU, 11/5/16)
Gained team-best 664 rushing yards on 147 attempts (4.5 yards per carry)
Eclipsed 100-yard rushing mark twice (at Samford, 11/12/16 & vs. Furman, 11/19/16)
- Set career-highs in rushing attempts (41) and rushing yards (185) at Samford
Scored four of six rushing touchdowns over first three games
Named SoCon Player of the Week for standout effort on senior day vs. Furman (11/19/16)
- Totaled 310 yards (191 passing, 119 rushing) and three touchdowns (two passing, one rushing)

2015

Started all 11 games during junior season
Became the first player in program history to be selected to the CFPA Offensive Performer of the Year Watch List in back-to-back years
Fell just shy of his own single-season passing mark with 2,141 yards through the air, thanks to a career-high 194.6 yards passing per game
Led an offense that topped the FCS in red zone scoring with a 93.2 percent efficiency
Topped the SoCon with 18 passing touchdowns in the regular season
Led the league in passing yards per completion (12.6) and points responsible for (150)
Finished second in the conference with a passing efficiency of 138.1
Completed a career-high 58.2 percent while only throwing three interceptions
Eclipsed the 200-yard passing mark in five contests
Rushed for 382 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns
- Ran for over 50 yards in three contests
Surpassed 300 yards of total offense in two games
Threw for program-record 336 yards and four touchdowns in just over a half of action against Stetson (9/12/15)
Completed career-high 23 passes for 277 yards against Wofford (10/3/15)
Had 269 passing yards, 49 rushing yards and four total scores (3 passing, one rushing) in three quarters of play against ETSU (10/17/15)

2014

Started all 12 games during sophomore campaign
Eclipsed his own program record with 2,167 yards passing
Ranked second in the SoCon and 13th nationally with a passing efficiency of 148.7
Led Mercer and ranked fifth in the SoCon with 212.8 yards of total offense per game
Ranked third in the nation in passing yards per completion (15.7) and fourth in yards per attempt (8.9)
Finished with over 200 yards passing on two occasions
Completed a career-high 56.6 percent of his passes while averaging 180.6 yards through the air per contest
Rushed for 387 yards and five touchdowns including three games of 50+ yards rushing
Eclipsed 300-yards of total offense against Chattanooga (10/25/14) thanks to a school-record 293 yards passing
Ran for a season-high 96 yards on 14 carries versus The Citadel (11/1/14)

2013

Started all 12 games at quarterback as a redshirt freshman
Named the Pioneer Football League Offensive Freshman of the Year
Recognized as a finalist for the Jerry Rice Award, given to the FCS’ top freshman
Finished the year with 1,916 yards passing and 21 TDs through the air
Compiled 903 yards rushing and 12 TDs on the ground
Led all FCS freshmen with 34 total TDs, 204 total points, 15.8 yards per completion and a pass efficiency of 144.7
Threw for over 200 yards on three occasions
Completed 51.9 percent of his passes and tossed just seven interceptions
Rushed for 102.9 yards per night over the final seven contests
Threw the longest touchdown pass in the country in 2013, a 93-yard bomb in a win over Valparaiso

Before Mercer
High School

Attended Mill Creek High School in Buford, Ga.
Earned three varsity letters in football under head coach Shannon Jarvis
Named Second Team All-Region and Second Team All-County during his junior season and First Team All-Region and Second Team All-County during his senior season

Personal

Born on July, 16 1994 to parents Ed and Janice Russ
Has three siblings, Georgi, Samantha and Ed
Chose Mercer because of the academics and the opportunity to start a new program