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DILLON, Mont. — Already with the most receptions and receiving yards in Montana Western history, standout wide receiver Eli Nourse isn’t done yet. He’s looking forward to one final go-round with the Bulldogs.
“I have some personal goals. I want to obviously be an all-American again and all-conference. Then team goals, we want to win the natty, of course, that’s everybody’s goal. But to get there we just have to go week by week and improve every day,” said Eli Nourse.
“Coming in as a freshman and being a starter, he was pretty nervous. But he’s really grown into it. He’s stepped up a lot. Not just on the field, but off the field, everywhere,” said redshirt junior defensive back Canyon Sargent, who spent several years growing up with Eli in Libby.
The Nourse family moved from Libby to Dillon in 2011, and while Eli has been a standout on the field, he had injury issues in high school, and it was his senior season l when Ryan realized his true potential.
“We thought that skillset wise and determination and character, that he would be able to be a really good football player, for sure,” said head coach Ryan Nourse.
Playing for your father can be an odd dynamic, but Eli, a 3-time all-American with over 3,500 receiving yards in his career, says it’s beneficial, with no favoritism or infighting involved, and he appreciates that.
“It’s not weird or anything. If he treated me different from the other guys, I wouldn’t have ever committed here or come here. But I knew coming here I’d get the best coaching I possibly could, because he’s my father. But mostly, I just knew the program and really liked our offense. Having your dad as the coach is helpful, but it doesn’t really feel like he’s my dad, he doesn’t really treat me differently than other players, which is super nice. It gives me some confidence out there. And I can kind of say what some of the other guys are thinking without it being weird, because we have that relationship,” said Eli Nourse. “I’m coming from a spot where he can trust me and I can trust him. So, we can have those talks that are maybe a little more difficult for other players to have. I feel like that honestly helps the team a little bit and all the guys seem to respect it. They understand that I’m not my dad’s son out on the field. I’m just another player like everybody else, here to try to get the team to win.”
“I haven’t had anyone who works harder or puts more time in than he did. And that’s really the number one item for him. He always comes prepared,” said Ryan Nourse. “He’s extremely football intelligent. He has been since he’s been able to pick up a football. And I think those two things have really helped drive him to having a really high level of success.”
This season, Eli Nourse has been given the honor of wearing No. 18. It’s a bulldog tradition that began after the tragic passing of Western’s M.J. Simkins in 2017 and represents the best of what it means to be a Bulldog.
“As a Dillon kid, it means everything to me. I grew up around M.J. knowing who he was. I was in 6th grade when he passed away. I remember my teacher pulling me out of class and letting me know. That was super heartbreaking, because as a kid, you could really look up to him,” said Eli Nourse. “He was my (youth football) coach and I really respected him and I knew how good of a guy he was. Just knowing that, having that past knowledge and experience of him, even though I was young. After getting the 18, it’s such an honor to be able to try and fill his shoes. Just try to live up for everything he stood for.”
“I’m super proud of him and everything he’s done. He totally deserves it. Being from Dillon, he represents all the 18 values, for sure. I’m really excited that he gets to wear that and represent us in that way,” said Sargent.
“It’s not an honor you get for longevity. It’s not a ribbon for participation. It’s your teammates and the guy who wore 18 before you saying this guy has what it takes. He’s the best of the Bulldogs,” said Ryan Nourse.
The Bulldogs begin their season this Saturday in Havre before returning to Dillon to take on Montana Tech on Sept. 12 as Nourse seeks a fourth 1,000-yard season and a third conference title.
“I committed here for four years. If I wanted to go somewhere else, I would have. If I wanted to play somewhere else, I would have. I’m not going to ditch my teammates, my friends, my family, of course, too. With my dad being the coach, you only get that opportunity every once in a while, in your life. I knew if I’m a good enough player, people will find me and scouts will find me,” said Eli Nourse. “Luckily, I have a fifth year (in the NCAA) so I can take that and transfer. I’m super excited for that. But I have some business to finish here before I even consider that.”
“If the Nourse’s are anything, we’re loyal,” said Ryan Nourse.
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