The University of Akron Athletics
2020 Akron Football Roster
Cole Gest
- Position:
- RB
- Class:
- Redshirt Senior
- Height:
- 5-9
- Weight:
- 195
- Hometown:
- Solon, Ohio
- High School:
- St. Edward | Indiana
Granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA...enrolled at Akron in January 2020.
As a Redshirt Sophomore (2018): Academic All-Big Ten selection...suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the season-opening win at Florida International...rushed five times for 17 yards and caught one pass for 10 yards.
As a Redshirt Freshman (2017): Academic All-Big Ten selection...played in 10 games with one start (at Maryland)...finished second on the team with 428 yards on 93 attempts (4.6 average) with one touchdown in 10 games with one start (at Maryland)...his 428 yards were the fourth-highest freshman total in the Big Ten...made 10 catches for 83 yards and one touchdown...reached the century mark for the first time with 104 yards on a career-high 23 carries (4.5) with one score in the Rutgers win...ran for 82 yards on 17 attempts (4.8) the previous weekend in the victory at Illinois...also recorded a career-best three receptions for 27 yards for a career-high 109 all-purpose yards, making him the IU Offensive Player of the Game...pulled in a 23-yard touchdown and finished with a career-high 28 yards on two catches at Maryland...added a career-best three receptions for 27 yards to push his career-high all-purpose yardage total to 109...recorded 40-plus yards over three straight weeks vs. Georgia Southern (45), at No. 4 Penn State (48) and vs. Charleston Southern (47)...pulled in a 23-yard touchdown and finished with a career-high 28 yards on two catches at Maryland...IU offensive player of the game (Illinois)...As a Freshman (2016): Rushed for 47 yards on 10 attempts in the first three games before suffering a season-ending injury and received a medical redshirt...returned five kickoffs for 110 yards.
High School: Running back for head coach Tom Lombardo at St. Edward HS...led St. Edward to Division I state championships in 2014 and 2015 and a 27-3 record...finished his prep career as the school’s all-time leading rusher with nearly 4,000 yards and 50 career rushing touchdowns...scored at least one TD in 24 consecutive games...first-team All-Ohio and first-team All-District in 2015...rushed for 2,097 yards with 25 scores as a senior...added 20 receptions, 342 yards and three touchdowns...also had 20 receptions, 342 yards and three touchdowns as a senior... collected 1,854 rushing yards and 25 TDs as a junior...named first-team All-District and special mention All-Ohio...rated the No. 65 prospect in Ohio by Rivals.
