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Cooper
Micah Cooper, a face familiar to Marshall County sports fans has joined the ranks of the Oklahoma State Cowboys ahead of the 2019 football season. Cooper is a walk-on this season.
Cooper, a former Madill Wildcat, originally signed for Henderson State University in 2016. During his lone season at the Arkadelphia, Ark.-based univerity, Cooper ran for 140 yards and one touchdown on 36 carries. He also had one catch for 25 yards. Cooper was fourth on the team in rushing in 2016.
Cooper then went on to play for Northeastern A&M in Miami, Okla. for the 2017 and 2018 seasons. During the 2018 season, Cooper had 175 yards rushing and two rushing touchdowns on 27 carries.
Cooper comes to a team looking to replace Justice Hill, a two-time firstteam All-Big 12 running back, who had 3,539 career rushing yards and 30 career rushing touchdowns. The former Madill star will wear number 26 for the Cowboys.
Cooper joins a back field that includes seven other running backs. Cooper joins LD Brown as one of two redshirt juniors in the group.
The other backs are as follows by experience:
• True freshmen: Deondrick Glass, Andre Washington
• Redshirt freshmen: Jahmyl Jeter, Mbari Snoddy
• Reshirt sophomore: Chuba Hubbard
• True junior: Dezmon Jackson, Jr.
Competition in the backfield
Of the above group, Hubbard is expected to get the lion’s share of carries to start the season, said OSU head football coach Mike Gundy during the team’s media day on August 3.
“Chuba looks really good,” Gundy said. “For me, or personally as a coach, you’re always really careful to step out there, but he’s about as pretty as they get. He’s about 208 to 210 pounds, and I don’t know how fast he is, but he’s really fast. He’s very determined. He’s very intelligent. He understands.”
Gundy said Hubbard’s ability to step in for Hill, who missed time due to injury, was key.
“When we lost Justice (Hill) last year, it was difficult for us because we lost a great player,” he said. “As I said earlier though, it benefitted us because (Chuba) had to play in some really key games. I’m also excited about watching him play. He’s really just kind of scratched the surface with his body and what he can do and what he can bring to the table.”
Gundy anticipates Brown will serve as the main backup to Hubbard.
“LD has done really well,” Gundy said. “He has come a long way. He’s a really good example of years of maturity. If those guys stay healthy through camp, they’ll be a good package.”
The Cowboys’ coach also provided some thoughts on other members of the running back position group.
“Dez (Jackson) is behind LD,” Gundy said. “Deondrick (Glass) is further behind. (Jahmyl) Jeter looks really good. I don’t know if you all have seen him. He was a little bit heavy at this time last year, got up around 227 pounds. I think he’s closer to 215 now. He’s slim and starting to mature a little bit. I’m comfortable with all those guys carrying the ball. Behind Chuba, right now we don’t know, but those guys we have behind him, at this point I’m comfortable. Ball security is very important. That’s one thing we don’t know yet because they haven’t been out in the game and been hit when they’re tired. That’ll be important. If you want to carry the ball or touch the ball in this offense, you have to take care of the ball. They have a skill set. They just need some reps and to continue to work hard, but I feel comfortable at that position.”
The Cowboys open the 2019 season with a trip to Beaverton, Ore. to face the Oregon State Beavers.