by Daniel Archuleta
Daily Lobo
UNM football center Ryan Cook has anchored the offensive line for the last three years. Now, his hard work is finally starting to pay off.
Cook has been selected for watch lists for the Outland, Lombardi and Rimington Trophies. The 6-foot-7-inch 320-pound star from Cibola High School has also been listed by Lindy's Magazine as the No. 5 center in the nation.
Head coach Rocky Long even admits he didn't think Cook would become as good as he has.
"He made himself a player, because when he came here he wasn't projected to be this good," Long said. "He is also a good student who knows the importance of school."
Despite the three awards he's up for, Cook said there is only one award he wants to win.
"I would really like to win the Mountain West Conference Championship. That would be the best award for me," he said. "I don't know about any individual awards. If those come, that's a good thing."
Cook has been a dominating force since he was a freshman. He credits his skills to persistence and hard work.
"I attribute a lot of that to the coaches," he said. "They keep me focused and make me work hard day in and day out."
Head coach Rocky Long sees no flaws in Cook's playing ability or personality.
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"I don't know what weakness he has. Mentally and physically he has no flaws," Long said. "I think that if he has a good year, he will be a high draft choice," Long said.
Offensive linemen measure success in knockdown blocks and perfect film grades. Cook has 303 knockdowns in his career with an average of 8.2 per game. He has had 17 knockdowns in a game three times and achieved a 100 percent film grade four times.
A knockdown block, or pancake, is when an offensive lineman blocks a defender to the point where the defender ends up on the ground.
Cook is a former walk-on who started 33 straight games as center. His work ethic comes from a familiar place.
"Definitely my parents. My dad tried to instill that in me at an early age that you do things till they are finished," he said.
His ability to lead is another one of Cook's defining characteristics.
"I think that I have pretty good leadership skills," he said. "I think that my best offensive quality is leading the younger guys and the whole offense."
Being an offensive lineman is physically demanding. With constant contact, there are only a handful of guys who can do it. Cook enjoys his job because of his teammates.
"I like the guys I play with," he said. "They are all very good guys and I like each and every one of them."
The one guy on the team who probably knows him best is quarterback Kole McKamey.
"We have built a really good friendship off the field," McKamey said. "On the field, I have all the confidence in the world in him. I think that he is the best in what he does in the whole country."
