LINCOLN, Neb.—This football thing just might work out for Nebraska’s Khiry Cooper.
The redshirt freshman received the strongest endorsement of his young career when it was announced he would start at receiver ahead of senior Menelik Holt and sophomore Curenski Gilleylen in Saturday’s game at Baylor.
When Cooper arrived from Shreveport, La., last year, there was concern about his football development because he would be spending his springs playing for the Nebraska baseball team.
Offensive coordinator Shawn Watson said Cooper was in catch-up mode during August practices. Cooper was limited to spot duty in early games, but he now finds himself as a potential go-to guy as the Huskers’ struggling offense looks for a spark.
“I want to see what he can do,” receivers coach Ted Gilmore said. “We’ve been inconsistent, and the thing we’re going to do is constantly create competition around here. Hopefully, he takes advantage of those reps and doesn’t want to give them up. He can have a major role on this team.”
Cooper’s rapid rise on the depth chart confirms to him that he made the right choice when he turned down a six-figure signing bonus from the Los Angeles Angels, who picked him in the fifth round of the 2008 major-league draft. He was among only 10 of the first 172 players drafted to not sign.
Cooper said discussions with his mom, Yolanda Cooper, and his high school coaches led him to decide he would benefit from living the college life while starting work on a construction management degree.
“It was a really hard decision because my passion is baseball. I love football also,” Cooper said. “If you do what you need to do, it will come around again.”
Cooper isn’t eligible for the baseball draft again until 2011, and he still hopes to play in the majors.
While other schools interested in Cooper didn’t want him to play both football and baseball, Nebraska coach Bo Pelini and baseball coach Mike Anderson were willing to let him try.
Cooper appeared in 35 of Nebraska’s 54 baseball games last spring and started 20 in the outfield. He batted .229 with two home runs in 70 at-bats.
He said he won’t second-guess his decision.
“I’ll never regret it because I did what the Lord wanted me to do,” he said. “Even if I don’t get drafted as high my junior year, I could stay and get drafted my senior year. It’s in the future, and whatever happens happens.”
Cooper was a surprise starter in the 31-10 loss to Texas Tech on Oct. 17. He caught three balls for 23 yards, including a 13-yarder from Cody Green for his first touchdown. He sat out last week’s 9-7 loss to Iowa State with an undisclosed injury.
Holt and Gilleylen were demoted to the scout team early this week, and offensive coordinator Shawn Watson announced after Tuesday’s practice that Cooper would start at the X-receiver spot against Baylor. That was a big compliment for Cooper because Nebraska coaches typically don’t announce starters so early in the week.
“I want to see myself as a starter and do big things for the team,” Cooper said. “Ultimately, I want to help the team win, and whatever that means, I’ll do.”
His immediate concern is helping to jump-start an offense that committed a school record-tying eight turnovers against Iowa State.
“We have a lot of young players playing, me included, and our offense isn’t going to be clicking every week,” Cooper said. “Obviously the fans and everybody, they get down on us but we’ll never get down on ourselves. One big play can spark the season.”
