Micah Cooper: The Running Back You'd Better Not Forget. He Won't Allow It!
STILLWATER -- The other day, I had Oklahoma State assistant athletic director for strength, speed, and conditioning Rob Glass on the radio show. He told me if there was ever going to be a situation like this one with the COVID-19 pandemic, where he and his staff had to work and devise ways to keep the Oklahoma State football team working and staying in shape and trying to improve on their conditioning then this was the team that gave them a chance.
Glass talked about the maturity in the Cowboys team and the players with the discipline to keep working without someone in their ear to push. There are a lot of examples that come to mind like linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, defensive end Brock Martin, defensive tackle Cameron Murray, receivers like Tylan Wallace, Dillon Stoner, Landon Wolf, and running back Chuba Hubbard.
Don't forget Micah Cooper! Cooper is the transfer walk-on running back that last season rose to playing status during fall camp and actually played in the opener at Oregon State. Cooper is now on scholarship and is still showing the way, for himself, for teammates, and anybody that pays attention to his Twitter account.
Are you maximizing your time? pic.twitter.com/dEElGvwR0B
— Micah Cooper (@CoopTHM) April 18, 2020
"I just finished an in-home workout and I wanted to share something that has been on my mind today," Cooper opens up in his most recent Twitter inspiration. "You know earlier I was thinking, 'am I maximizing my time and am I maximizing my potential?' I kind of came to the realization that I wasn't, and I thought what can I do to get to that maximum potential and make the most of my time? I thought my workouts haven't been as good since I was in school and I haven't had all the workout equipment that I have there and so I thought what can I do? What can I go out and get to make it as much as I need?
"I went on an offer up and went searching and I found a complete gym set. (It has) rack, bench, bar, and a bunch of weights. Everything came with it. You know, maybe, that's not what you need, weights and working out to maximize yourself, but there is something you could doing while you're at home to get better. Because if you are behind right now, this is the time to catch up. Even if you are in front this is the time to work and increase the lead. I just want to encourage everybody to keep working and maximize your time and your potential."
This is pure Micah Cooper. The 6-0, 200-pound running back is built like a tank. Last season he scored a touchdown in his second game of the season and that prompted Mike Gundy to tell the story about why Cooper played in the opener and why he was scoring touchdowns as a walk-on. That's not something unheard of as Gundy and OSU encourage walk-ons. However, it doesn't happen that fast, usually.
Cooper spent each day of the off season in the weight room in the basement of the West End Zone and adjacent to the football locker room.
Gage Gundy, the youngest son of head coach Mike Gundy, noticed. He was the first to notice. Gage even told his dad, but he had no idea who Micah Cooper even was. By late summer or fall camp, Gage figured it out, but the head coach had already beat him to it.
Here is #okstate coach Mike Gundy on Madill product Micah Cooper. I remember watching this kid run sprints barefoot after high school football games. pic.twitter.com/NssUhOGydw
— Marshall Scott (@MarshallScottOK) September 2, 2019
"In December and January and all through the spring, my youngest boy (Gage) and a couple of his friends were working out over in the OSU weight room on a training program," Gundy explained during fall camp. "He kept telling me every day about this one kid that was in there by himself, doing balancing drills and extra lifts, (stretch) bands and all that stuff. He is always giving me information on football and kind of wears me out. You know, you kind of tune that out. A couple of days ago, he was up there lifting and he figured it out. He said, 'you know (number) 26 Micah Cooper is the guy that was up there this winter doing all that extra work and lifting.' I said, 'that's interesting because he is, by far, the most improved player that we have.'
"He shows up, he's got ability and he's fast," Gundy continued. "He can make you miss and he is tough and physical. He is learning the offense and it is obviously important to him. He was up there working all winter and then after lifting, he is back in there lifting. He is going to get to carry the ball. He is tough and he's a pretty good story."
Gundy said going into the opening game that Cooper was going to make the trip and would probably get to play. It helped that junior college transfer on scholarship Dezmon Jackson was hurt.
Cooper has had somewhat of a gypsy experience as he came out of Madill High School and played for his uncle, Milton Cooper. As a senior he rushed for 1,164-yards and eight touchdowns as a senior.
Cooper went on scholarship to Division II Henderson State and had a red-shirt season and then played in nine games with 36 carries for 140-yards and a touchdown.
He left Henderson for Oklahoma and NEO A&M Junior College but found himself behind current UNLV starter Darran Williams, who rushed for 1,427-yards and 13 touchdowns that season at NEO. Cooper had 27 carries for 175-yards and two touchdowns and led the team in yards per carry at 6.5.
"We knew Micah was a talented back, but Darran had backed up Darian Thompson the season before and we knew how good Darian was. We thought Darran was really good," Allen said. "I was not surprised at all in what Micah did at Oklahoma State. He is a good football player and a great kid."
Cooper finished his season last year for the Cowboys with a net 12-yards and a touchdown. He played on several special teams and you can expect to see him on most of them this coming season.
“Micah Cooper is the hardest worker I’ve ever seen – other than maybe Dillon Stoner. You see him after practice taking extra reps and stuff," said Philip Redwine-Bryant, another walk-on that has the reputation for being a hard worker and may end up in an NFL camp.
Redwine-Bryant earned a captain's patch for the bowl game and the thought here is that after this next season that is something else that Cooper may earn.
He's earned everybody in the programs respect. He's still adding to that even with everybody scattered because of the coronavirus.
