Receiver picks NU after visit

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BY BRIAN CHRISTOPHERSON / Lincoln Journal Star

It was a decision guided by faith that gives Nebraska its 24th known football recruiting commitment.

With Khiry Cooper, there is football, there is baseball, but faith always comes first.

It was his faith in God that helped him deal with heartache, just 10 when his father died of a heart attack while playing pickup basketball.

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And it’s his faith he was dependent on when it came time to pick a college.

On Sunday, after a weekend visit to the Lincoln campus, the 6-foot-2, 175-pound wide receiver from Calvary Baptist Academy in Shreveport, La., made it official. He’s coming to Nebraska.

“Just the people and the atmosphere, the great tradition. They just really impressed me with everything,” Cooper said. “I’m just impressed with how many people of faith there are there.”

Cooper is a big addition to Nebraska in more ways than one. He’s also a talented baseball player, a center fielder/leadoff type who had 16 steals last season. He runs the 40 in 4.5 seconds, after all. He said Sunday he’s interested in playing both football and baseball at NU.

During his visit, he also met Husker head baseball coach Mike Anderson.

Arkansas was the other school in the running for Cooper’s talents. The Razorbacks’ baseball program is led by former Husker head coach Dave Van Horn.

Cooper and his mother, Yolanda, went to the Nebraska basketball game on Saturday, sitting alongside athletic director Tom Osborne.

“My mom was impressed and loved everything,” Cooper said.

The receiver really bonded with Husker tight ends coach Ron Brown, who spent the past four years serving as the Nebraska State Director of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. Brown made several trips to Louisiana in the last few weeks to visit with Cooper.

With national signing day on Wednesday, the Huskers have now picked up three receivers in the recruiting season’s late stages. NU also received commitments last week from Antonio Bell and Steven Osborne.

“This was the place that God led me,” Cooper said. “It took me a while to find it, but I think it was God working.”

Reach Brian Christopherson at bchristopherson@journalstar.com or 473-7439.