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Q&A With Cooper Helfet
3/2/2010 9:30:00 AM | Football
DURHAM, N.C. – Duke has bolstered its group of tight ends with the addition of rising junior Cooper Helfet. A transfer from Santa Rosa Junior College in California, Helfet has gone through an interesting transition from lacrosse player at Johns Hopkins to a talented tight end prospect for the Blue Devils. GoDuke.com recently had a chance to sit down with Helfet to discuss his new role at Duke and how he found himself back on the east coast.
GoDuke.com: You have played both lacrosse and football in college, what was your favorite sport growing up?
Cooper Helfet: “Football was probably my favorite; I played football, basketball and lacrosse. In my junior year of high school football, I hurt my back, so I was pretty much out most of the season and it hurt a lot of my recruiting. I did really well in lacrosse my junior and senior years. So then I came back senior season, I had a pretty good season in football. I even missed two games for an injury which was kind of a bummer. I got a bunch of FCS football offers from a bunch of Ivy League schools, the University of San Diego and some other FCS schools, but I was really hoping for Division I.”
GoDuke.com: How did collegiate lacrosse come into the picture?
CH: “I got a call from Johns Hopkins, they saw my tape; I had a lacrosse highlight tape. So we made one up and sent that out to them and they flew me out. This was late in the recruiting process, that was probably in February or March. I liked the place and [Johns Hopkins head lacrosse] Coach Dave Pietramala offered me a spot on the team. I had good grades and since they were coming off a national championship, it was a pretty good opportunity.”
GoDuke.com: How long were you at Johns Hopkins and how did you get back into football?
CH: “I was only there for one semester. Football was always my passion. I tried to switch to lacrosse, but I just wasn't as passionate about lacrosse. I wouldn't push myself as much to be the best on a lacrosse field as I would on a football field. But the program was great [at Johns Hopkins], the coaches are awesome and all the players on the team -- I love them a lot. It wasn't anything to do with that, it's just that I love football more.”
GoDuke.com: Once you proved yourself at Santa Rosa, how did you work on getting to a Division I school?
CH: “I had an interesting recruiting process because we didn't have the best season. I was talking to a couple schools; I was talking to Louisville, Tulane, Arizona State. I was talking to Utah State, Iowa State. Terrell Smith at Duke got my football tape and he gave it to the coaches. This was probably early November of last year. I got a call from Duke and they said they're really interested and they want to get my transcripts immediately. I went through that whole process; it was a pretty quick recruiting process. Once I got to see Duke, I really liked it. It's obviously the best of both worlds with academics and a big time football school.”
GoDuke.com: Did you see a big difference in the type of player in the ACC as compared to the junior college level?
CH: “The one thing I can say is that California has a really big junior college program. The NorCal conference that I was in was one of the best in the country. I have definitely played against good athletes, because a bunch of the teams we played had six or seven Division I defensive players. I'm used to the athleticism in certain cases, but the coaching, the different kind of plays, the scouting -- all of that is a lot more advanced here.”
GoDuke.com: Coach Cutcliffe mentioned the tight ends specifically in regards to competition for playing time. How has that played out in spring practice?
CH: “It has been great, actually. You think with intense competition, some guys would have it out for you or something like that but [the tight ends] have been great guys, especially the seniors. They are teaching me the ropes. I think everyone is trying to come together to win games. That is the most important thing for everybody. I have been around of bunch of teams in different types of sports, you can get some egomaniacs, but I can't say enough about the guys on the team; they are great.”
GoDuke.com: How has your work with Coach Middleton helped smooth the transition?
CH: “Coach Mid is awesome. He played in the league; he is a player's coach. He knows what it is like to be a player. That helps you get comfortable with a coach; you can relate to them. I have been meeting with him two or three times a week to go over all the new plays we are putting in before we do it on the field. He is just a great guy. He is emotional about football and he is real entertaining. He makes it fun out there – he is a great coach to work with.”
GoDuke.com: What have you done with the workouts this offseason?
CH: “I don't know what is has been like previously, but it is a big step up from any kind of training I have done. We lift weights, but beforehand we do all kinds of different exercises. We do things to increase flexibility – we use hurdles and bands for resistance exercises to make sure your body is prepared for anything you could do out on the field. I have already seen success; it has progressed my game a bit and it has made a difference.”
GoDuke.com: You have played both lacrosse and football in college, what was your favorite sport growing up?
Cooper Helfet: “Football was probably my favorite; I played football, basketball and lacrosse. In my junior year of high school football, I hurt my back, so I was pretty much out most of the season and it hurt a lot of my recruiting. I did really well in lacrosse my junior and senior years. So then I came back senior season, I had a pretty good season in football. I even missed two games for an injury which was kind of a bummer. I got a bunch of FCS football offers from a bunch of Ivy League schools, the University of San Diego and some other FCS schools, but I was really hoping for Division I.”
GoDuke.com: How did collegiate lacrosse come into the picture?
CH: “I got a call from Johns Hopkins, they saw my tape; I had a lacrosse highlight tape. So we made one up and sent that out to them and they flew me out. This was late in the recruiting process, that was probably in February or March. I liked the place and [Johns Hopkins head lacrosse] Coach Dave Pietramala offered me a spot on the team. I had good grades and since they were coming off a national championship, it was a pretty good opportunity.”
GoDuke.com: How long were you at Johns Hopkins and how did you get back into football?
CH: “I was only there for one semester. Football was always my passion. I tried to switch to lacrosse, but I just wasn't as passionate about lacrosse. I wouldn't push myself as much to be the best on a lacrosse field as I would on a football field. But the program was great [at Johns Hopkins], the coaches are awesome and all the players on the team -- I love them a lot. It wasn't anything to do with that, it's just that I love football more.”
GoDuke.com: Once you proved yourself at Santa Rosa, how did you work on getting to a Division I school?
CH: “I had an interesting recruiting process because we didn't have the best season. I was talking to a couple schools; I was talking to Louisville, Tulane, Arizona State. I was talking to Utah State, Iowa State. Terrell Smith at Duke got my football tape and he gave it to the coaches. This was probably early November of last year. I got a call from Duke and they said they're really interested and they want to get my transcripts immediately. I went through that whole process; it was a pretty quick recruiting process. Once I got to see Duke, I really liked it. It's obviously the best of both worlds with academics and a big time football school.”
GoDuke.com: Did you see a big difference in the type of player in the ACC as compared to the junior college level?
CH: “The one thing I can say is that California has a really big junior college program. The NorCal conference that I was in was one of the best in the country. I have definitely played against good athletes, because a bunch of the teams we played had six or seven Division I defensive players. I'm used to the athleticism in certain cases, but the coaching, the different kind of plays, the scouting -- all of that is a lot more advanced here.”
GoDuke.com: Coach Cutcliffe mentioned the tight ends specifically in regards to competition for playing time. How has that played out in spring practice?
CH: “It has been great, actually. You think with intense competition, some guys would have it out for you or something like that but [the tight ends] have been great guys, especially the seniors. They are teaching me the ropes. I think everyone is trying to come together to win games. That is the most important thing for everybody. I have been around of bunch of teams in different types of sports, you can get some egomaniacs, but I can't say enough about the guys on the team; they are great.”
GoDuke.com: How has your work with Coach Middleton helped smooth the transition?
CH: “Coach Mid is awesome. He played in the league; he is a player's coach. He knows what it is like to be a player. That helps you get comfortable with a coach; you can relate to them. I have been meeting with him two or three times a week to go over all the new plays we are putting in before we do it on the field. He is just a great guy. He is emotional about football and he is real entertaining. He makes it fun out there – he is a great coach to work with.”
GoDuke.com: What have you done with the workouts this offseason?
CH: “I don't know what is has been like previously, but it is a big step up from any kind of training I have done. We lift weights, but beforehand we do all kinds of different exercises. We do things to increase flexibility – we use hurdles and bands for resistance exercises to make sure your body is prepared for anything you could do out on the field. I have already seen success; it has progressed my game a bit and it has made a difference.”
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