Stampeders give team award to home-grown football talent Rob Cote

CALGARY – Rob Cote called it the “Jon Cornish effect”, but his Calgary Stampeder teammates singled out the local fullback as a key contributor to their dominant running game last season.

Cote, from nearby Cochrane, became the first Albertan in 23 years to earn the football club’s Presidents’ Ring. The award is voted on annually by the Stampeders for the one among them who demonstrates “excellence on the field with leadership, inspiration and motivational skills.”

Cote, 27, started 16 games for the Stampeders in 2013. His blocking abilities helped star running back Cornish win a second consecutive rushing title and the CFL’s Most Outstanding Player award.

Cote’s grunt work on offence and on special teams helped the Stampeders to a league-best 14-4 record and a berth in the Western final. The Stampeders ranked first in the CFL last season in most rushing yards, rushing first downs and average rushing yards per game.

“He’s the classic local-boy-makes-good success story,” Stampeder president Gord Norrie said Tuesday. “A Stampeder fan growing up who represents the team so well on the field and within our community.”

When told he was to meet the media Tuesday, Cote admitted he suspected an April Fool’s prank.

“I’m absolutely floored,” Cote said. “That’s the Jon Cornish effect. I’ve had the privilege to block for him for the past three to seven years however you want to look at it. I do what I can.

“Hopefully I’ll be able to continue to contribute for the next couple of years. It’s an absolute pleasure.”

The six-foot-one, 230-pounder has been recognizable on the field because the long hair flowing out from under his helmet, but Cote turned up Tuesday with his hair cut short.

He was born in Calgary and played high school football in Cochrane northwest of the city. After two seasons of college football in Victoria, he signed with the Stampeders as a free agent in April, 2007.

“I got my tooth broken in my first practice,” Cote recalled. “This is going into my eighth training camp, so pretty special.”

In seven seasons with the Stampeders, Cote has played 111 regular-season and nine playoff games and won a Grey Cup with the team in 2008.

The Presidents’ Ring has been awarded annually since 1967. Offensive lineman Lloyd Fairbanks of Raymond was the last Albertan to earn it in 1991.

Other recipients include quarterbacks Henry Burris, Danny Barrett and current Stampeder offensive co-ordinator Dave Dickenson as well as defensive tackle Stu Laird, linebacker Alondra Johnson and offensive lineman Jay McNeil.

Defensive back Keon Raymond was the winner in 2011 and 2012.

“I grew up watching all of the greats and seeing my name on the same prestigious trophy they’re all on is something I would never have anticipated in my life,” Cote said. “It won’t sink for quite awhile.”

Cote says Calgary’s Grey Cup wins in 1998 and 2001 inspired him as a young football player, but his favourite games were the annual Labour Day clashes with the Edmonton Eskimos.

“I just loved coming to the games,” Cote said. “It kind of evolved to where I’d go as just a little kid to enjoy being in the stadium to later really watching and trying to learn from them and really trying to study the game a little bit more.”