GREAT FALLS — Great Falls CMR senior starting quarterback Cole Taylor has taken advantage of the offseason heading into his senior year for the Rustlers.
Because of his dedication to the weight room and his performance in skill and team camps this summer, in addition to the Frontier Conference NAIA offers he’s received, Taylor earned a coveted scholarship offer from Montana State University at the end of June.
For Taylor, the numbers speak for themselves, posting record numbers for a quarterback on the bench press and some of the highest marks on the team on the hang clean and squat rack. Since he’s started under center since the end of his sophomore season, Taylor has transformed his body, making him one of the most versatile and athletic quarterbacks in the state.
“That’s always been a goal of mine, just to be one of the hardest workers on the team," he said. "And, you know, winning games comes in the weight room and not on the field.”
Last season in his junior year, Taylor amassed 22 touchdowns and 2,375 total yards under center in head coach Dennis Morris’ spread offense, good enough to earn him first-team all-conference and second-team all-state.
His skills improved even more in his last high school summer session with 7-on-7 team camps and most recently, Marty Mornhinweg’s QB camp in Missoula where Taylor got individual instruction from former Great Falls CMR and University of Montana legend, Dave Dickenson, who is currently head coach for the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders.
“He's like the hometown hero around here, so getting to meet him was really cool and he was a very good coach," Taylor said. "He gave me all kinds of tips, footwork, mechanics, read progressions just to keep working out with myself.”
As for the offers and spotlight he’s earned on the recruiting side, coach Morris knows it’s well-deserved.
“I'll tell you what, I was just plain happy for Cole,” Morris said. “Offers are a reward for what you're doing well in you program.”
The Rustlers have a few more weeks of summer workouts before the official start to their preseason on Aug. 12 where Taylor and the team will look to improve on their 5-5 record from last season.
