Former walk-on ‘finally getting his shot’ in forgettable season for TCU

TCU is in the midst of what’s becoming a forgettable season.

The injuries have piled up. The offense is struggling to score. The defense is struggling to keep points off the board.

Oftentimes lost in these types of seasons are stories of players such as Cole Novak. This is a guy who never played football in high school, joined as a walk-on in 2014 and is now seeing significant time as the No. 1 tight end his senior season.

“He’s faced the most adversity I’ve ever seen and he’s finally getting his shot,” said Calli Novak, Cole’s sister who is on TCU’s volleyball team.

“I know the season isn’t going too hot, but I don’t even care. I’m really proud of him and I love having him here. It’s awesome.”

Cole has taken an unusual journey to this point. His father, Jeff, played in the NFL for nine seasons as an offensive lineman, but you wouldn’t know it if you just saw Cole in his younger years.

Cole spent most of his high school days undersized, playing shooting guard on the basketball team at 5-foot-10, 180 pounds. He didn’t hit his growth spurt until his senior year of high school and freshman year of college where he grew into what is now a 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame.

That growth spurt is when Cole knew he could follow in his father’s footsteps and pursue football even though he didn’t play in high school. Cole opted for TCU, knowing it’s a program that gave walk-ons just as much of an opportunity as scholarship players.

“You earn everything,” said Cole, who was one of eight TCU players named first-team academic All-Big 12 on Thursday.

“I like the mentality that, if I came here and worked as hard as I could, I could eventually find myself a role on the team.”

Cole played in one game as a sophomore in 2015, eight games as a junior in 2016 and then had multiple issues sideline him in 2017, including a pre-existing knee injury and fracturing his jaw in two places after being ‘sucker punched’ outside a bar in the 2017 summer.

The NCAA granted him a waiver to play this season because of a pre-existing knee injury, which he underwent surgery for in February 2017.

Cole took full advantage, taking first-team reps in the spring and fall camp to earn the starting job going into the season opener. But, as it’s been the case for most TCU players this season, Cole sustained a hamstring injury in warm-ups and was sidelined the first five games.

“That was probably one of the most difficult things he’s ever had to deal with,” said his father, Jeff. “He quietly dug his heels in and was starting opening day for the TCU Horned Frogs, a lifelong goal, and just five minutes from being announced as the starter he gets injured. He was absolutely crushed.

“But, like always, he had the support of the coaches. He got a call from coach [Sonny] Cumbie and coach [Jarrett] Anderson that night and they said, ‘Hey, listen, you’ve worked hard and earned a spot. That’s your spot when you come back.

“The coaches embrace his struggle and appreciate his struggle.”

Jeff recalled a similar situation happening earlier in Cole’s college career. Cumbie sent a handwritten birthday card with a simple message – ‘This is your time. You can do this.’

“Cole kept that on his wall for two years,” Jeff said. “He’s had the support of his staff and his family and his teammates and everyone else all the way through.”

For Cole, it’s finally paying off.

Cole made his first start against Oklahoma last month and the following week, at Kansas, had his first career reception. He’s seen meaningful snaps since and will again against Baylor on Saturday.

Pretty impressive for a player who didn’t play in high school and could’ve easily walked away from the game following any injury setback.

“My dad is big on anything that you’re willing to put in the work, you can achieve,” Cole said. “He firmly believes that. He preaches don’t listen to the critics. If you believe in yourself, you can accomplish that. I’ve just kind of stuck to that, believed in myself throughout the process. Just kept my head down and kept working.”

If Cole wants to try and further his playing career as a professional after the season, his dad wouldn’t stop him.

Jeff Novak knows what it takes to make it in the NFL and his son has the frame to put on even more weight if a team feels he could slide into an O-line position. Plus, Cole is still new enough to the game where teams could view him as an intriguing developmental piece.

“My message is to keep dreaming,” Jeff said. “He wants to get ready for his pro day and he wants to run well. With his story and not playing in high school, his football IQ is so green and he’s so inexperienced that you don’t know what the ceiling is.

“Let me put it this way – I would argue the path for a kid who didn’t play high school football and earning a starting job at one of the best Big 12 programs is tougher than the path for a starting tight end in the Big 12 to make the step to the next level.”