From an Oklahoma farm to Division I football

TROY, Alabama (KTEN)- Plainview grad Eli Russ' collegiate career has spanned six years, two states, and 51 career games, but none of it would have been possible without his roots back in Oklahoma.

"He's there at [the athletic facilities] 4:45 every morning," Ken Russ said. "He's the first one in the building to go over and watch film."

It's that dedication that has helped Eli Russ reach 2,000 career snaps at the Division I level.

"It's hard. It's a lot more of a job than people understand," Eli said. "During the season, I probably spend 7-8 hours up here at the stadium per day. It's not this glamorous deal that people think of."

Russ has leaned into that grind starting 34 games in the last three years at Troy. It's a work ethic that can be traced back to his childhood in southwestern Oklahoma.

"His daddy has made sure that he's mentally tough and physically tough," Eli's stepmom Amber said. "The Russes are just like that."

For the first 11 years of his life Russ lived with his father out in Hobart. He helped with his dad's cattle and also worked plenty at his uncle's farm.

"Sometimes you wake up and you get on the tractor and you're plowing or you sewing wheat or you're cutting cotton or anything like that and those days are the longest" Eli said.

"He's had to do it all. Late hours. Long days. Hard work. Hauling hay, square bales, stacking them in the barn," Ken said. "You name it he's had to do it."

When his dad re-married, Russ moved to Ardmore and eventually began playing football at Plainview. All those long hours working on the farm started paying off.

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"It took the quit out of you," Eli said. "Once you start a job you had to finish it. That goes with football too."

At Plainview, Russ starred in the trenches on both the offensive line and defensive line and was a two-time state runner up.

"He really came into his own his freshman year of high school," Ken said. "It clicked. You could see it in his demeanor."

From there, Russ committed to and played three seasons at Oklahoma State. In 2023, he transferred to Troy, and the rest is history. Russ has played center, tackle, and guard for the Trojans and was named a team captain for this season.

"He settles everybody down in big games and helps us out. For him to be able to play all those snaps and take all that veteran leadership to our offensive line is critical for us," Troy head coach Gerad Parker said.

On Tuesday, 1,901 days after he made his debut in Stillwater, Russ' college career will officially come to a close with Troy's bowl game against Jacksonville State. In Alabama, he's truly found his home away from home.

"This place has made me who I am right now," Eli said "These coaches, I've got to give everything to them. These players are awesome. It's been a great experience."

Back in Oklahoma, his dad has watched him grow from a small kid on a farm into a potential NFL prospect. He couldn't be prouder of the man that Russ has become.

"There's not really words," Ken said. "He's more than what a guy would want in a son. He's a lot better man than I ever was, so that's what you like to see."