Even when the interested seemed to cool and the communication seemed to cease, Montana remained in the forefront of Cole Grossman’s mind.
The senior wide receiver at Skyview High in Vancouver, Washington first heard from the Griz in the beginning of his senior season. The 6-foot-5, 205-pounder already held offers from Wyoming, Hawaii and Portland State — PSU the alma mater of his father, Michael Grossman, a tight end for the Vikings — most of the interest stemming from his standout performance at the EForce Invitational the previous spring.
But Grossman had some inside insight into the Montana program from former Skyview offensive lineman Skyler Martin, a redshirt freshman for the Griz last fall. When Bob Stitt and much of his coaching staff were not retained following UM missing the playoffs for the second straight season, Grossman did not hear from Montana much during the transition but he had Martin to monitor the situation for him.
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After Bobby Hauck’s hiring on December 1, Grossman’s recruitment from Montana picked back up. Hauck retained UM offensive line coach Chad Germer, who went to see Grossman before his senior season ended. Montana recruiting coordinator Justin Green kept in consistent contact early and late in the process. Grossman received an official offer from Hauck on December 18, less than a week before the first early signing period.
Grossman wanted to ensure Montana was the right fit for him so he did not sign during the period that lasted December 20-22. Instead, he waited to start 2018 off with a new chapter, giving his verbal commitment to Hauck and his staff on New Year’s Day.
“I just had a lot of talks with Skyler about Montana,” Grossman said. “I’ve always liked Montana from the start. Coach Germer, Coach Green, when they first started talking to me, they built really close bonds with me. They were always talking to me, asking me how I was doing, making sure I wanted to go to Montana and they wanted to make sure Montana was the right place for me.
“Coach Hauck, once I heard he got the job, (it) was awesome. He’s a great coach, wins multiple championships. It’s crazy how many games he’s won. That pretty much sealed it for me to be honest because if you have a great coach as a head coach, good things can happen. And Bobby Hauck is a great coach.”
After transferring before his junior year from Battle Ground, Washington, Grossman began to etch out a reputation as a top recruit in the Evergreen State. He played on a Skyview team that went to the semifinals of the Washington 4A state playoffs in 2016.
Last May, Grossman played a key role in the AirOne Football Academy’s 7-on-7 team reaching the finals of EForce Invitational, a spring passing tournament showcasing some of the best talent in the Northwest.
Later that month, he received his first offer from Hawaii. Days later, his dad’s alma mater PSU, which is about 20 minutes from the Grossmans’ house on the other side of the bridge over the Columbia River, called with a scholarship.
Entering his senior year, he had a two-star designation and ranked as the No. 35 overall prospect in the state of Washington by 24/7 Sports. Grossman battled a shoulder injury during his senior season and Skyview struggled to replicate its successes of 2016. The Storm finished outside the playoffs with a 5-4 record but Grossman managed to pick up an offer from Wyoming in November and from Montana last month.
Even as his stock rose and offers continued coming in, Grossman did not consider signing during the early period with any school.
“I never thought of committing early,” Grossman said. “I wanted to make sure I had the right fit but Montana was probably the right fit always. I feel like the early signing day was pretty early for a lot of schools and a lot of players to make decisions. I felt I didn’t need to make a decision that early yet.”
Grossman earned Great St. Helens 4A all-league and Washington 4A all-state honors as a senior despite missing time with the injury. While his team navigated an up and down campaign just a year removed from their first semifinal berth since 2011, Montana navigated an up and down season as well.
UM lost 31-23 in Bozeman to fierce rival Montana State, a loss that signaled the end for Stitt.
“I didn’t really monitor it but Skyler told me about it,” Grossman said. “It wasn’t a big deal to me because in college, there is a lot of coaching changes. Stuff happens between colleges and coaches. Whatever deal happens, it’s just how it goes. But once Bobby Hauck got brought in, I was super excited and I liked that a lot.”
Martin, a 6-foot-5, 255-pounder who sat out last season, kept Grossman in the loop about many things UM and the city of Missoula had to offer.
“He said he loves the campus,” Grossman said. “He went on a lot of visits and he said Montana is a great college atmosphere campus. They sell out every game, which is crazy as well. When you walk through the tunnel, you run out, you hear everybody screaming, it’s the best feeling. To have all that support he said is awesome. It’s a great school with new facilities and they have a lot going forward.”
Although he’s played wide receiver for most of his life and end defensively the last two years at Skyview, Grossman could evolve into a tight end with the Grizzlies.
“I like the idea a lot,” Grossman said. “I don’t think I’m going to get any smaller. Me getting bigger, I might have to play tight end because I might be too big to play receiver. I’m not too worried. My dad played tight end at Portland State and he taught me a couple of steps so I’m not too worried. It just depends on how I can react to stuff like putting my hand in the ground.”
Grossman has not been to Missoula on his official visit yet but he has one scheduled for January 26, less than two weeks before National Signing Day on Wednesday, February 7. He is excited to see what Montana and the Garden City have to offer.
When enrolled at UM, Grossman plans to study business finance, another key selling point in him choosing to become a Grizzly.
His father, Michael, navigated the recruiting process once upon a time. Cole said he “left it all up to my decision”, adding that father told son that “all the schools were great” and that Michael wanted what’s best for Cole.
Next summer, Grossman will reunite with a former teammate and compete in the Big Sky Conference. Now that he’s committed, he’s happy he waited until all the proper pieces fell into place.
“It’s a great relief getting my school paid for,” Grossman said. “Having a chance to play at the next level, it’s a dream for many people so to be offered a chance like this is once in a lifetime.”
Photos courtesy of Grossman family. All Rights Reserved.
