Thursday, October 4, 2007

TUSCULUM'S COREY RUSSELL NAMED NATIONAL OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE WEEK

WESTMONT, Ill. --- Tusculum College quarterback Corey Russell has been named the Football Gazette Division II National Offensive Player of the Week announced College officials Thursday.

Russell, a 6-4, 190-pound junior from Speedwell, Tenn., passed for a school single-game record 438 yards in Tusculum's 31-28 win over No. 18 Wingate University. Russell went 26-for-40, including four touchdowns. Russell's 438 passing yards are also the eighth most in SAC history. For his efforts, he was named SAC Offensive Player of the Week.

Trailing 14-7 heading into the final moments of the second quarter, Russell threw a pair of touchdowns in the last 88 seconds of the first half to give TC a 21-14 heading into the locker room. Russell completed a 29-yard scoring strike to Ryan Tallent with 1:28 left before halftime and a 57-yard bomb to Calvin Britt with 13 seconds on the clock.

The Cumberland Gap High School product has passed for 1,193 yards this season and leads the conference in total offense averaging 267.2 yards per game.

Tusculum (2-3, 1-0 SAC) returns to action this Saturday when the Pioneers host Lenoir-Rhyne College for homecoming. Kickoff is slated for 2 p.m. at Pioneer Field.

- TC -