By Brian Ramsey
OBU Sports Information

RUSSELLVILLE — Ouachita Baptist University junior running back TJ Cole has been named the Great American Conference Offensive Player of the Week after leading his team to a 43-28 road win over East Central this past Saturday.

Cole had a career day in Ada, Oklahoma, with 33 carries for a career-high 271 yards and four touchdowns. His 53-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter put the game away and allowed the Tigers to come from behind to win their eighth game of the season.

It was the fourth-highest single-game rushing total in the history of the GAC and the first 200-yard rushing performance for Ouachita since Shun’cee Thomas’ 211-yard day in a 51-28 win over Oklahoma Baptist on November 5, 2016.

With Cole’s numbers against ECU, the Texarkana, Texas native now has 1,320 rushing yards this season. He is the top rusher in the GAC, and fifth best in NCAA Division II with two games remaining in the regular season. His season rushing total currently ranks third in Ouachita history, 348 yards away from the record set by William Meyer in 1978.