Hayden Hanks is back where he belongs doing what he loves, in Montana playing football.

Hanks, an All-State 8-Man football lineman for the 2021 State champion Thompson Falls Blue Hawks and a 2024 TFHS grad, announced earlier this month that he has received a full-ride scholarship commitment from the University of Montana and has transferred from Boise State University, officially joining the Grizzly football program.

When contacted Sunday, Hanks said he is already on campus in Missoula and enrolled in classes there. “It’s definitely nice to be back in the mountains,” he said. “I’m excited to be joining the Grizzly football team and helping them succeed.”

Hanks had an interesting experience while at BSU. He ruptured an Achilles tendon his first season there in the fall of 2023 and, after a series of setbacks following the surgery and rehab, and being designated as a medical redshirt, the decision was eventually made by the BSU staff to medically retire Hanks from the squad. But Hanks did not feel like he was done playing yet.

“After getting multiple medical opinions which cleared me physically, and knowing that I still wanted to play, I decided to resume my football career,” Hanks said, indicating that he also considered other programs, including NCS national champion MSU before deciding on signing with Montana.

The Grizzlies lost to the Bobcats in NCS playoff semifinals last month and suffered only two losses, both to MSU, during a 13-2 campaign. Listed at 6-3 and 300 pounds, Hanks is expected to help out the Griz right away at the nose tackle position, according to the university’s press release.

Hayden’s high school coach Jared Koskela thinks Hanks has an opportunity. “This is Hayden’s chance to prove himself,” Koskela said. “The injury bug hit him early and often in Boise and he didn’t have time to prove himself. Hopefully, he will have the chance do that at Montana.”