Can Cooper be successful

HANC

HANC

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Today's Omaha paper had a good article on Khiry Cooper. Told about how he is playing baseball and football. Sounds like both coaches have been "upfront" with him. Anderson was saying things like......"he will be treated like any other freshman...... he (Cooper) will probably not be much of a factor, especially early in the season......he is like any freshman, except he missed the fall.......Cooper will probably NOT be able to attend Spring football because the baseball schedule is so demanding"...... (all paraphrased)

Pretty matter of fact........but give Anderson credit for telling it like it is !

Anderson did say that Cooper had the type of personality that would allow him to possibly do both sports. Said that he was immediately impressed with Cooper's attitude, personality, etc (paraphrased)

Cooper said that "redshirting was tougest thing" he has ever been through, but thinks it will pay-off. Said Coach Bo has been very supportive of Cooper's attempt to play baseball, but Bo would like him to check-in during Spring ball as much as possible... Khiry said that baseball is his first love.

Not trying to start a huge debate, just stating my "gut-reaction" to a good article.

I am hoping that this kid doesn't get caught in a trap trying to pull-off 2 sports. Anderson has already "come acrossed" (to me) as sounding as if he would have liked Cooper "full-time"...... he made a point of making sure everyone realized Cooper missed fall ball......hope he doesn't hold it against the kid.... and Bo wants him at Spring ball, but sounds like that isn't going to happen either.......

I am sure it will all work out, but if his playing time is not as much as he would like, I wouldn't be surprised to see him concentrate on one sport.......BASEBALL.......his 1st love.

 
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Because both Hack and I care...

Published Sunday January 18, 2009Baseball: Cooper attempting a tough double play

BY MITCH SHERMAN

WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

On the first day of fall practice each year, Nebraska baseball coach Mike Anderson teaches a pair of basic skills.

Khiry Cooper didn't get the memo. The true freshman outfielder, absent from October workouts while redshirting as a wide receiver on the NU football team, joined his new teammates on Saturday for the Husker Home Run Club preview at the Holiday Inn convention center.

And guess what? Cooper failed to sign the baseball correctly. Anderson said he was handed at least 10 balls that Cooper had scribbled his name on in the wrong direction.

Easily correctable, but it's just a sign of the many challenges to come for Nebraska's rare two-sport athlete. Not since Darin Erstad played outfield and punted at NU 14 years ago has a Husker accomplished what Cooper is attempting.

"Probably the hardest part," Cooper said Saturday, "is it's so time consuming."

The 6-foot-2, 180-pound rookie from Shreveport, La., turned down a six-figure signing bonus from the Los Angeles Angels to attend Nebraska. The Angels selected him in the fifth round of the major league draft in June and pursued Cooper until the final hours before the Aug. 15 signing deadline.

"It was really difficult," Cooper said, "because baseball is obviously my first love. That's my dream, to play pro ball. (The Angels) were pretty persistent, but I just had to tell them I had already made my decision.

"It was a pretty good amount, especially for an 18-year-old kid coming out of high school. It was a very good amount. But even with the money, at that time, I felt school was where I needed to be."

By starting school in August, Cooper took himself out of the draft pool until 2011.

For the next three years, he's strictly a college athlete — a unique one at that. No baseball player since Turner Gill has worn a Nebraska uniform after going as high in the draft as Cooper.

Gill was a second-round pick in 1980 and played both sports at Nebraska, notably as a star quarterback. Cooper would like to follow in Gill's footsteps, of course, but don't expect any special treatment on the diamond this spring.

Cooper rarely got into the batting cages last fall. He took a few swings while at home in Louisiana after the Jan. 1 Gator Bowl.

A speedy center fielder in high school, he led his team to the Class 2A state title as a senior. But Big 12 competition will bring a huge change, and Cooper figures to struggle some with the transition.

Regardless, he said he's eager to compete in any capacity after the redshirt season in football.

"Honestly, it was probably one of the toughest things I've ever done, because you practice all week as hard as you can, knowing you're not going to play," Cooper said. "But in the end, I think it was a blessing. It was hard, but I'll be ready for next year, definitely."

Nebraska officially starts baseball practice Feb. 2. It opens the season Feb. 20 with a four-game series at Louisiana-Lafayette, a three-hour drive from Cooper's hometown.

His former school, Calvary Baptist Academy, is sending a bus. Cooper's family will be there, though he's not likely to play a significant role early in the season.

"He's like any other freshman," Anderson said, "except he missed the fall."

Among the biggest challenges, Anderson said, is to make sure the Huskers accept Cooper and that he accepts NU baseball.

"He needs to understand he's going to play Nebraska-style of baseball," Anderson said.

Cooper said he's on board. Football coach Bo Pelini recruited Cooper a year ago with the promise that he would support Cooper's bid to play two sports. Pelini has stuck to his word, Cooper said.

They talked recently about the situation. Pelini reminded Cooper, on football scholarship, to stay in contact and to attend spring practice in March if it's possible. But for now, baseball comes first.

Anderson described it as "highly unlikely" that Cooper would make it to many of the 15 football practices. The baseball season is too demanding.

But Anderson said he believed that Cooper would handle the challenges well. He has already displayed the character needed to succeed in both sports, Anderson said, by making the decision the way he did to attend college last summer.

"I had a little bit of a comfort level," the coach said, "knowing what kind of a kid was going to be coming to our program. He's here, and immediately his character shows up. There's a humbleness and an understanding that it's not about him. That's a huge thing."
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That sounds hard to do...miss fall ball, and spring football, it basically leaves you no time to improve in the off-season...I hope he can manage, but it'll be difficult.

 
:thumbs Thanks Dunder..........I'm not smart enough to post the article. I figured someone would though. Thanks

I agree with General, sounds pretty demanding and tough to pull it off. I really hope he excels at both. It has been done before, but not a common place. I mean, here we have had Erstad, but he was a "punter". Not that punters aren't great athletes and aren't very very important, but not the "workload" of a D1 WR.

 
There certainly are a lot of drawbacks, but I say let him try it. How many guys are even able to play two big time sports? Besides Spring ball most of the football off season is conditioning anyway. I'd think his grades might be hard to keep up with, having that full of a schedule.

I hope he becomes an all-american in all three! :P I wonder if anyone has done this at NU. Anyone know?

 
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I wouldn't be surprised if he gets a little PT in baseball this year, the team is probably really going to need him (or someone else) to play center field, and we know he has the talent.

My guess, and I hate to say it, is that he will probably switch over to baseball solely by next year, espicieally if he doesn't get Pt in football, but does in baseball. And that isn't to say he will give up, but I think the coaches will realize it is what is best. Scratch that football might need him too. O man now I messed my self up. Hopefully he starts on both teams and wins the National Championship/CWS, and gets MVP of both. Although that isn't going to happen I want it too. Actually I dont care I just want what is best for the teams and him.

:ahhhhhhhh

 
The few advantages to this will be him being in game conditioning nearly the entire year. Playing center field will require him to work on his explosion to get to fly balls and increasing his vert. Both which will help him play receiver in the fall. I am more worried about him getting burned out on competitive team sports more than not being able to succeed at the D1 level.

 
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