DAYTON, Ohio — While in high school, Jack Cook never attracted much collegiate interest as a quarterback.

“I'm not real big ... definitely not the size of the prototype college quarterback these days,” the 6-foot-0, 200-pound Seneca Valley graduate admitted. “I just wanted to play ball in college. The position didn't matter.”

Cook received scholarship offers from Dayton, Duquesne and Bucknell — all as a safety. Duquesne considered giving him a look at wide receiver.

Situations change.

And performance can dictate change.

That combination has helped Cook develop into one of the most productive quarterbacks in Dayton history — probably the most productive by the time he leaves the program.

Cook selected Dayton and headed to Ohio figuring on playing safety for the Flyers.

“We had enough quarterbacks when we recruited him,” Dayton coach Rick Chamberlin said. “Jack was athletic and a physical type of player. He was the kind of player we love at our safety position.”

Cook was red-shirted during his first year at Dayton. Before he arrived on campus, two upperclassman quarterbacks got hurt and an incoming freshman signal-caller decided not to go to college.

“We called Jack and told him we were going to bring him in as a quarterback,” Chamberlin said.

But he was No. 6 out of six players on the Flyers' depth chart at the position.

“Bottom of the totem pole,” Cook said, laughing.

Not for long.

Cook ran the scout team offense at quarterback his freshman year and “we noticed how well he was throwing the football, much better than he looked in high school,” Chamberlin said.

During spring practice leading into his red-shirt freshman year, Cook passed three quarterbacks on the depth chart. He passed another during summer practice and was suddenly the backup behind fourth-year starter Alex Jeske.

In the first quarter of the Flyers' first game against Robert Morris in 2018, Jeske tore his ACL.

And Cook was the starting quarterback.

“The injury happened at the opponent's 3-yard line,” Chamberlin said. “Jack's first play, all he had to do was hand the ball off and our running back scored a touchdown.

“That was a nice way for him to break in.”

He's broken loose since.

Cook wound up passing for 2,421 yards, 20 touchdowns and two interceptions in 2018. He rushed for 423 yards and eight scores.

His passing efficiency rating of 155.8 was eighth in the nation in FCS, first among freshmen. His passing yardage ranked third nationally among FCS frosh.

“I always believed I could do well at quarterback,” Cook said. “But I never felt like I had to play there. I just wanted to play, period, just get on the field.

“It's been fun. I love our offense. I feel like it's only going to get better.”

Cook improved his numbers last season, throwing for 2,697 yards, 33 touchdowns and five interceptions. He ran for 470 yards and 12 TDs.

His single-season passing yardage nunmbers the past two years rank second and third all-time at Dayton.

The Flyers finished 6-5 in 2018 and 8-3 last year. Cook is far from satisfied.

“My turnovers went up last year. I need to take better care of the football,” he said. “All I want to do is win. I could break some passing records here and that'd be special, too.

“Winning comes first.”

Chamberlin knew Cook had the tools to be a successful quarterback.

“Leadership, charisma, mobility, athleticism, he had all that,” the coach said. “His passing ability is what really blossomed. You're never sure how a kid is going to perform until he's out there on the field competing.

“I'm not surprised he's doing well, but Jack exceeded all expectations.”

Cook will begin his junior season needing seven touchdown passes to snap the program's career record of 59. He needs 3,745 yards passing to break the school record there, 231 completions to snap that mark.

But maintaining success will be a challenge.

Dayton brings back only one starting offensive lineman and only three other offensive starters with Cook. Austin King, last year's offensive coordinator, has taken an assistant coaching position with the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders. Tight end Adam Trautman, a projected second or third-round NFL draft pick, is gone as well.

And there is no spring football with which to build a new offense.

“We've been having team meetings on-line, position meetings as well, just making sure we're on the same page when summer camp opens,” Cook said.

“Jim Collins, our new OC, is bringing more spread and a higher-tempo atack. I'm going to love that.”

Chamberlin believes the team will continue to win.

“We had 33 seniors last year and Jack was a sophomore and, still, he was a leader,” the coach said. “All he has to do is be himself and we'll be just fine.”