MKRob Sports

The Rice Owls’ quarterback situation has been the talk of fall camp. Now it appears there’s another reason to pay attention to the signal callers.

Former Miami Hurricanes and Rice Consolidated quarterback Taylor Cook plans to transfer to Rice and join the Owls next week, Cook’s father Robert confirmed on Thursday.

Taylor Cook, a redshirt freshman who received his release from Miami on Tuesday, toured the Rice University campus on Thursday and visited Owls practice. Robert Cook said Taylor hopes to be enrolled and in class by Monday or Tuesday.

“It’s closer to home and closer to family for him,” Robert Cook said. “This is a good program that the coaches have put together.

“We’ve followed coach (David) Bailiff’s career for a long time. He’s not only a good coach but a good people person.”

Taylor Cook was a standout at Rice Consolidated High School, taking the Raiders to the Class 2A semifinals with a 13-2 record in his senior season while throwing for 1,598 yards and 19 touchdowns. The 6-7, 235-pound redshirt freshman will have to sit out one season per NCAA rules.

The Owls have five quarterbacks: senior John Thomas Shepherd, sophomore Nick Fanuzzi (who transferred from Alabama before the 2008 season), redshirt freshman Ryan Lewis and freshmen Taylor McHargue and Michael Poytner.

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