Dax Solis will be the firs to admit that he did not take the academic portion of playing college football seriously his first few years of high school. After making a few mistakes and falling behind in the classroom, Solis realized if he wanted to achieve his dreams at the next level, he would need to buckle down.
That’s exactly what the senior at North Kitsap High in Western Washington did.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound running back sent his impressive prep highlight tape to Montana recruiting coordinator and running backs coach Justin Green following his junior year.
“I sent them my highlight reel and Coach Green was like, ‘no brainer as an athlete, you can easily come play here but your grades aren’t there,’” Solis said in an interview in late April. “My freshman and sophomore year, I thought if I could play football, I could play wherever I want. Then I realized grades really do matter.”
That understanding helped Solis reapply himself academically, leading to the opening of an opportunity with the Grizzlies. Solis made sure his GPA rose during his junior year. Last fall during his record-setting senior football season, Solis retook two classes he did not have satisfactory grades online in while taking a normal full course load, a total of eight classes a day. He continued to earn good grades, ensuring he would be a qualifier for a Division I football program.
On the field, Solis rushed for 1,944 yards and 35 touchdowns, leading North Kitsap to the Olympic League 2A championship and on a run to the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. His rushing yardage total obliterated the former school record of 1,596 yards, a mark that stood since 1948.
That production combined with a grade-point average that finally surpassed 2.5 heading into his final semester of high school gave UM confidence to extend a preferred walk-on offer to Solis. On April 20, he verbally committed to sign an acceptance waiver to join head coach Bobby Hauck and Montana for fall camp in Missoula in August. If Solis can perform at a high level athletically and academically, the coaching staff told him he can earn his way into some scholarship assistance.
“When I first found out I would really do some (academic) work, I was like, ‘well, this is my dream so I’m going to do whatever I can to make it happen,’” Solis said shortly after wrapping up lacrosse practice for his local club team. “I put in the work, I put in the hours, I was grinding in the weight room, grinding at school. My hard work paid off.
“When Coach Green called me, I was so happy, I didn’t know what to do, honestly.”
Solis chose Montana over offers from NAIA Division I power Graceland, NAIA Missouri Valley College, NAIA Missouri Baptist and NAIA Division II William Penn University.
“I was just kind of waiting because I knew if Coach Green stuck to his word, I was going to get a spot if I could just push through and do it,” Solis said. “I was holding out, waiting for him. I would text him on Twitter and he would say to be patient, they still would have a spot for me. When I finally got it, I was so happy.
During his standout prep career, Solis played for one of Washington’s 2A powers in Poulsbo, Washington. The Vikings run the Wing-T offense, an old-school attack that emphasizes the run game almost exclusively.
Although the Wing-T seems archaic compared to the modern-day spread offenses that are the trend in college football now, the Wing-T does help develop acute vision for its tailbacks lined up deep in the backfield. It remains to be seen the specifics of the offensive attack the Grizzlies employ under offensive coordinator Timm Rosenbach next fall but Solis thinks he will transition to any attack seamlessly.
“When we went to the Central Washington team camp last summer, I could hear coaches talking on the sideline, they were like, ‘Oh dang, that kid’s got some good vision,” Solis said. “I am able to find holes, see where my blockers are blocking people, cut behind them. I don’t know why, it’s just super easy for me.”
Solis visited Missoula last summer and observed the last stages of construction of Montana’s new Champions Center. The pristine new facility and the vibe of Missoula both impressed him.
“I just love it in Missoula,” Solis said. “I like the outdoors, fishing, all that stuff and it seems like the perfect spot for it.”
Montana’s newest running back is unsure what sort of scheme Montana might run on offense. He has yet to speak to Hauck personally. Solis does know he wants to get an undergraduate degree in something that will help him become an athletic trainer because of his desire to help people return to their top physical condition. That desire stems from a broken fibula Solis suffered his third high school practice ever as a freshman.
All his future pursuits stem from Solis’ rededication to the classroom and his patience throughout the recruiting process.
“It’s such an honor to say I’m a Grizzly,” Solis said. “I met a few of the players and you can tell it’s a real brotherhood. I love that. I can’t even put it into words how excited I am to play for them, play with them, play with that coaching staff. It’s been my dream to play D-I football and now it’s coming true.”
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