NEW ORLEANS – University of South Alabama senior linebacker Riley Cole was named the Sun Belt Conference Defensive Player of the Week it was announced Monday by the league office.
It's the first time that he has earned Sun Belt weekly accolades in his career.
Cole was recognized after leading all players with a career-best 15 tackles — the most recorded by a defender in the league this year — in the Jaguars' 30-20 conference victory over Texas State on Saturday, with that total including a season-high-tying 1½ behind the line of scrimmage. Not only did he post an assisted stop for loss with the Bobcats facing fourth-and-two at the USA-37 and the score tied 17-17 late in the third quarter, he was credited with seven tackles in the final period as the Jaguars limited Texas State to just three points while pulling ahead for the victory.