A visit with FCS All-American, Murray State transfer TE Cole Rusk who takes official visit to Ole Miss Friday
OXFORD, Miss. — Cole Rusk wasn’t a household name coming out of high school, but that didn’t matter to him — he was determined to continue to develop and play the sport of football that he loves so dearly. And that hard work has paid off for the Murray State FCS All-American, as Ole Miss has offered the tight end who began his career at Eastern Michigan. He’ll take an official visit to Oxford Friday.
The 6-foot-6, 245-pound Rock Island, Illinois native is now one of the most coveted tight ends in the portal right now. He began his collegiate career at Eastern Michigan but only saw action in one game.
In 2023, he would write a very different chapter in the Bluegrass state as he transferred to Murray State and made some lasting moments at Roy Stewart Stadium with the Racers.
Trusting in the Lord!❤️ pic.twitter.com/nOVpqH0ME4
— Cole Rusk (@ColeRusk1) December 26, 2023
While he only spent one season there, Rusk tallied 39 receptions for 512 yards and six touchdowns, earning a 3rd-Team FCS All American spot. He was also named to Missouri Valley Football Conference All Newcomer Team.
𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝙏𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙀𝙣𝙙
𝙊𝙪𝙧 𝘼𝙡𝙡-𝘼𝙢𝙚𝙧𝙞𝙘𝙖𝙣👉 @ColeRusk1 #GoRacers🏇 pic.twitter.com/OIt5t8takP
— Murray State Football (@racersfootball) December 16, 2023
In just a short amount of time, his evolution has been nothing short of a sight to watch.
“Rusk, WIDE OPEN!” @King__dj___ & @ColeRusk1 is automatic! 🤖 pic.twitter.com/B9GBv6asOI
— Murray State Football (@racersfootball) November 4, 2023
His rising success quickly earned him offers from Illinois, Texas A&M, Houston, Cal, Washington State, Colorado St. Tulane, James Madison and Ole Miss.
Rusk could quickly be another key piece for the Rebels and make the Ole Miss portal haul even stronger. We had a chance to catch up with Cole to talk about his recruitment and more.
“It meant a lot that the staff believes in my abilities to help their offense and wants me to join the culture. It’s been a little different since they don’t have a TEs coach yet but the relationship I’ve had with Coach (Jake) Schoonover is great.”
Rusk on the offer from Ole Miss
Rusk talked about his top two schools, Illinois and Ole Miss.
“I’ve appreciated every school reaching out, and as of right now I’ve only planned to visit Illinois and Ole Miss which speaks to who I’m interested in most. I’m heading to Champaign….visiting officially Wednesday and Thursday. Then, to Oxford Friday to Sunday. The winning culture and use of TEs is what I like about both.”
Rusk on his top choices
We talked to Rusk about the national attention he’s getting now in the portal, as compared to when he was in high school.
“Being a COVID kid out of high school and not getting a true recruiting experience it’s been pretty wild now. I’ve been waiting to play on this stage my entire life so I feel I’m ready.”
Cole Rusk
Cole Rusk is a testimony to the fact that no matter where your journey starts, if you have talent and work hard, you can get to where you were meant to be all along.
We will keep you updated on Rusk’s recruitment and have more on his visit to the ‘Sip.
Herring-Olvedo sees college football the way championship programs do—from inside the personnel room. Every evaluation, every roster move, every recruiting battle tells a bigger story about identity, culture, and how a program is built to win in December, not just July.
With more than 15 years covering the SEC and the national recruiting landscape, Herring-Olvedo has built a reputation as one of the sport’s most respected personnel-driven voices—blending film evaluation, roster construction, and long-term program vision through a true front-office lens. Her coverage of powerhouse brands like Ole Miss Rebels and Kentucky Wildcatshas consistently gone beyond headlines, focusing instead on the blueprint behind winning programs: development, fit, culture, and recruiting strategy.
That foundation was formed early at Brown University, where she worked in player personnel and recruiting while competing as a student-athlete. Inside those recruiting operations rooms, she learned how elite organizations are truly built—through relentless evaluation, relationship building, projection, and trust in the board. Those experiences shaped the way she studies the game today: part scout, part storyteller, part architect.
Her analysis and reporting have appeared across major platforms including ESPN, NFL coverage spaces, USA Today Sports, and Saturday Down South. She also brought her personnel-minded approach to the airwaves as an on-air analyst for the Wake Up 502 College Football Show on Big X Sports Radio 96.1, where she became known for combining film-room detail with a wider understanding of roster identity and program trajectory.
In 2025, covering the rise of Houston Cougars football under Willie Fritz reignited the part of the sport that first drew her into football—the culture, the edge, the belief that a roster can reshape an entire city. That inspiration led to the launch of Coogs 365 Sports, a platform built to cover Houston athletics through a true scouting and recruiting lens while connecting the emotion of the game to the heartbeat of H-Town.
Now, Herring-Olvedo returns to The Rebel Walk where with an even deeper perspective shaped by years inside recruiting circles, national SEC coverage, and hands-on evaluation experience. Her return brings a familiar voice back to Ole Miss coverage—but with an evolved lens rooted in roster architecture, player development, and the modern realities of building championship-caliber football in the NIL and portal era.
For Herring-Olvedo, recruiting has never been about stars beside a name. It is about identifying competitors, projecting growth, and building a locker room capable of sustaining success. Her philosophy mirrors the best front offices in football: stack traits, trust culture, and never stop building.



