August 10, 2024 • 44 mins
Michigan State offensive lineman & West Ottawa alum Cooper Terpstra joins us on our debut episode of the 29/1 Podcast. From balancing his time between East Lansing and the Lakeshore, reclaiming the number 54, to acclimating to a new coaching staff, Cooper sheds light on the nuances of being a Spartan.
Cooper takes us through his decision-making process, initially committing to Grand Valley State before an unexpected opportunity at Michigan State redirected his path. He talks candidly about the challenges of stepping up to a higher level of play, body transformation and rigorous training. The conversation also touches on the business aspect of college football and the importance of relational coaching, providing insights into the dynamics between players and coaching staff.
Nostalgia hits as Cooper reflects on his vibrant campus life, the supportive West Ottawa Community, and the importance of a Stadium opening win versus Portage Northern just 2 years ago. Cooper’s stories paint a vivid picture of his athletic and personal growth. We then wrap up with the anticipation of the upcoming football Season for both the Panthers and the Spartans, and a possible return to live game action for Coop this fall. Sit in with us as we get to know each other a little bit better.
This episode was recorded on July 22, 2024.
Podcasts now dropping at 5pm every Sunday evening for that late weekend chill, or listen Monday AM during that morning commute or workout. Please like, follow, subscribe, or leave a review. Even share with someone who might like to listen. Thanks for taking the time to get to know each other a little bit better. The people who make West Ottawa Athletics what it is. Go WO!
Special thanks to Laura Veldhof Photography.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Rodney Vellinga (00:00):
Well, hey, welcome everybody to the 29 one
podcast.
This is our initial episode.
I'm Rodney Vellinga and I'msitting here with my co-host,
Bill Kennedy, and we haveprobably the best guests we
could have for episode one who?
Cooper Terpstra (00:14):
is it Absolutely?
Rodney Vellinga (00:15):
I don't know about that, cooper Terpstra.
Does anyone recognize thatlaugh?
Bill Kennedy (00:21):
Yeah, coop.
Coop was an eighth grader whenI first started here at West
Ottawa.
So I got to see Coop kind ofgrow up big personality from the
very beginning.
Multi-sport athlete here atWest Ottawa.
So when it was talking about,hey, who's the first guest?
Well, we've got to go to the.
(00:41):
Well, we've got to go to thebest guy out there, the guy with
the most personality well, Iappreciate you guys for having
me the affable the laughable.
Rodney Vellinga (00:49):
Oh yeah, cooper turbstraff.
Yeah, all right, coop.
So we're gonna get started here.
Uh, first of all, how's thesummer going?
So far, you're you're spendingprobably time between here and
east lansing.
What's that like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (01:00):
yeah, so the summer has been good.
Obviously the workouts.
You were a college athlete.
So yeah.
So I mean the workouts havebeen tough with the new staff,
especially like last year I forone, so that it's been nice just
being home.
And then obviously the fourthof July break um, I gotta spend
(01:32):
time with my family from NewJersey, uh, and then our break
right now, um, going into fallcamp.
So yeah, I mean there's a goodbalance in the summer of being
home, working out and stuff.
But yeah, I mean it's beensummer has been really good so
far.
How long is this current breakfor you?
I have until tomorrow night, sofour day break.
Bill Kennedy (01:54):
OK, yeah, it's been nice.
Back to it.
Yeah, when's the official startdate for camp?
Cooper Terpstra (02:00):
July 30th, but next week we have a thing called
ramp up.
July 30th, but next week wehave a thing called ramp up.
So it's it's a four day workoutseries of um walkthroughs and
installs, obviously with liftand running too, but um, the
hard conditioning is done forthe summer, which is nice.
Bill Kennedy (02:17):
That's awesome.
Rodney Vellinga (02:17):
You had a group of people in town a week or two
ago.
You brought the linemen intotown.
You tell us about that a littlebit.
Cooper Terpstra (02:23):
Yeah, it was a great time.
So back in the winter we weretalking, trying to come up with
things that would get our O-linecloser.
And I brought up Holland,michigan.
Obviously both of you guys knowthat it's the best place on
earth in the summer.
Rodney Vellinga (02:39):
Oh yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (02:40):
Winter is man, but summer I mean, it's a great
place and yeah, I recommendedthat.
And then I reached out toStephanie's family and was like,
hey, can we stay at your house?
I didn't think they would sayyes, but they said yes and yeah,
it was great.
We just hung around, swam, didsea dues for a day.
(03:01):
One of our guys almost hit ayacht that was parked I like the
word almost there.
Yeah, no, I was freaking outbecause it was under my name too
.
Bill Kennedy (03:12):
Probably some guys within that lineman group that
have never been to Lake Michigan.
Cooper Terpstra (03:16):
Yeah, actually multiple of them.
It was surprising.
And the new guys coming in fromOregon and stuff Washington
with Coach Smith's newrecruiting class that was going
to go to Oregon State flippedover to Michigan State, they
were in disbelief.
They thought it was an oceanLike they were calling it an
ocean.
Rodney Vellinga (03:36):
Yeah, until you get here, the vision of a lake
in your head certainly is in acertain framework.
Oh yeah, but you hit thatoverlook.
They probably have an overlookat lobster's place.
Yeah, or you can see the water,oh well, it's crazy.
Cooper Terpstra (03:48):
It's crazy how michigan's the best place on
earth I say that to everybody onour team like it's unbelievable
.
I mean, it being gone makes youappreciate it so much more too.
Yeah the.
Rodney Vellinga (04:00):
uh, I was checking some stuff out on you,
your communications major atMichigan State, so I'm glad we
can be a little internship foryou today.
Bill Kennedy (04:08):
That's great.
Rodney Vellinga (04:10):
But I also did notice something peculiar, not
peculiar, but you got number 54back.
I did.
Cooper Terpstra (04:15):
Thank God, yeah , no.
So I went to the equipmentstaff because the old 54, he
just transferred to Arkansas soI was like, can I do it?
And they were like, yeah, wejust have to talk to your online
coach.
Talk to him and.
I got to go and I didn't knowwhen it was going to happen, so
(04:35):
I walked up to my cubby.
We have laundry cubbies that weget our clothes out of every
day.
I saw the 54.
And I couldn't believe it.
I sent a picture straight to myfamily group chat.
Bill Kennedy (04:48):
I'm sure Pops was super stoked about that.
Cooper Terpstra (04:50):
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
Bill Kennedy (04:51):
It's pretty cool yeah.
Rodney Vellinga (04:53):
Yeah, it was really cool to see it because I
was looking at some pictures ofyou when you were at West Ottawa
and especially after that firstwin over Portage Northern,
everybody going to the studentsection.
I saw a 54 there and then I saw, saw 55, and I saw, oh, he's
got 54 again.
Something's going on here, sothat was pretty sweet.
Bill Kennedy (05:08):
Yeah, I did not have that luck in college so I
was 55, more 55 in everythingbasketball and football in high
school and then I got to collegeand I had to go to 51.
The guy that had 55 was notcoming off of it because it was
his high school number as well.
Rodney Vellinga (05:24):
Um, but then you know, 51, dick buckus yeah,
pretty good player so I was likeall right, I'm gonna stick with
51 coop, when you get 54 back,like you're super jacked about
that.
What does it do for you?
Cooper Terpstra (05:36):
I don't know.
I feel like there's a certainit's weird that I say this, but
I feel like there's a certainlevel of confidence in that,
because with 55 it was I meanit's not you it was.
No, I've worn 54 since I was inthird grade.
Yeah, um, and it meanssomething to me, and I mean not
everybody's numbers meansomething to them, but 54 is I
mean I wore all four years here,um, well, except for my
(05:59):
freshman year, but that's um,but yeah, I mean I've worn it
since third grade and it's kindof like ingrained in me.
All my stuff is 54, 54, andthen it was 55, so it was kind
of weird, it was like analternate universe.
Yes, yeah, it was really weirdmy freshman year putting on the
55, but now, like there's acertain level of confidence that
(06:25):
, all right, I'm back to where Iwas in high school and that
right, you know I, I can rock 54.
Well, I guess I don't know.
And to some extent you, youearned the right to wear it
right for sure you were thoughtof as much by your offensive
line coach to for him to sayyeah, I'm going to give you the
blessing to make that move.
Bill Kennedy (06:42):
So that says something a little bit about
kind of what you've accomplishedin a couple of years at MSU.
Rodney Vellinga (06:47):
What has been the grind?
I know there's a grind duringthe year with spring ball and
all that.
What is your summer?
A typical summer grind day foryou, getting ready for the fall.
Cooper Terpstra (06:58):
So our workout schedule is we go Monday,
tuesday, then break Wednesday,and then Thursday, friday.
So we don't do conditioningevery day, we do a lot of speed
work too.
So our conditioning is justTuesdays and Fridays.
So we'll go on Monday, andusually Mondays are the roughest
(07:20):
days because you're coming backfrom home or you had a good
time with your friends in EastLansing, something like that,
and in the summer, like you seeall your friends they're working
a job, they're hanging out withtheir friends on a Monday,
sunday night, and then you go onMonday and you're like woo back
(07:41):
at it.
But I mean, the typical day iswe really get in.
So our offensive group, we're at915.
So we usually have meetingsaround 715.
Then we'll have a walkthroughat 815.
And then we'll have our speedon Mondays and Thursdays and
(08:04):
then we'll just go lift.
Our lifts are pretty long,they're about an hour and a half
.
But on Tuesdays and Thursdayswe condition before our lift and
that's something else.
That's a whole other beast, butI mean they're short and sweet,
so it's not awful, but I meanyou get through them.
Rodney Vellinga (08:26):
Well, I was saying when you came in here
today.
Today, this is the fittest I'veever seen you.
We were talking before yeah Imean, you've always been a big
husky guy, but you are fit rightnow, brother I feel good.
Cooper Terpstra (08:34):
I've dropped down to about 297, 300 and I was
at 315 in the winter.
I I was, I feel, the best I'veever felt, conditioning-wise
especially.
I feel like it's a mentalbarrier too, especially with
going into those runs and stuffbeing like, whew, it's going to
(08:55):
be a rough one today, but I mean, you get past it and then, when
you get past it the firstcouple times, it's kind of
normal and I feel like that's apart of the reason why I've made
a body, body transition, bodychange, um, I, I just feel like
it's a mental thing as well.
Um, I've cleaned up the diet,um, so yeah, I mean, and when
(09:20):
you do those hard runs, it makesyou want to put more into the
stuff that will make you benefitfrom it.
Bill Kennedy (09:26):
You know for sure.
So you you touched on a littlebit there about like kind of the
mental hurdle and immediatelywhat it brings back to me as a
guy.
That you know, left high schoolfootball, went and played
college football.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat first experience.
Like now I'm a college footballplayer and kind of the mental
(09:48):
side of that?
Yeah, because it's difficult.
You know, a lot of kids are inthe gym on signing day yeah and
they're not there three weeksinto a college, yeah, for sure
yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (09:58):
So, um, last summer it kind of felt like I
was just starstruck the wholesummer, you know, I mean I
wouldn't necessarily say withthe guys, but with the whole
system and how it's a business.
It's just a whole differentchange.
But you know, I would reallysay my welcome to college moment
was probably like the third daycamp and Derek Harmon, um,
(10:20):
who's a really good defensivelineman for us oh, I went up
against him and he justulled melike I was a little kid and I'm
bigger than everybody in highschool, so I never really had
that done to me and I was likewhoa.
And then after that I was likeall right, yeah, you need to
work on your technique, you needto stay low.
I mean everything that ourcoaches preach in high school
(10:42):
and we don't do Because youdon't have to, because you can
get away with it.
Rodney Vellinga (10:45):
Yeah, you can absolutely get away with it.
Cooper Terpstra (10:48):
Like you really have to focus on that stuff.
And yeah, it's a wholedifferent animal.
It's crazy.
Rodney Vellinga (10:57):
When you first committed to Grand Valley you
had done that in your junioryear and then getting to
Michigan State was kind ofsomething pretty special where
that ended up happening.
Can you walk us through theWayne State visit?
Going to like being committedto Grand Valley doing the Wayne
(11:17):
State visit?
Can you just walk us throughwhat that's like?
Cooper Terpstra (11:19):
Yeah, so I was on a.
When I committed to GrandValley, I was actually in
Montana visiting Montana State.
It's an FCS school and I lovedit.
But that trip also made merealize like it's way too far
away from home for me and I'm ahomebody.
So, yeah, so I got home,committed that day and Grand
(11:41):
Valley great school.
It was a great place to be.
But literally like two daysafter I committed to Grand
Valley, I told my cousin that Iwould go on a visit with him and
he's actually at Wayne Statenow Jaden Acker.
Yeah, so he's actually at WayneState now, which is funny, but
talking to all the coaches andstuff.
(12:02):
I met their tight ends coach,Coach Lael and he.
I mean, we just talked for alittle bit.
It's not like, Right, you'rejust talking to him, yeah, yeah,
Talking together.
And shortly after that inAugust he ended up at Michigan
State for the GA job because itopened up and we went through my
(12:24):
whole season and I got a coupleaccolades, I got like All-State
and then the Detroit Free PressDream.
Bill Kennedy (12:32):
Team.
Cooper Terpstra (12:33):
So I guess they looked at that stuff and Coach
Slale recognized my name andthey were looking for a couple
walk-ons.
So he reached out to me and hewas like, would you be
interested in this?
And I was like, matter of factyeah.
I've been talking to coachCollins about it and he's trying
to get dudes to reach out forme and he, coach Lyle, called me
and he's like I don't know ifyou remember me and I was like
(12:56):
and he's like, oh, I was atWayne State.
When you're there, I was like,oh, okay, yeah, yeah, I got you
so you truly did not rememberhim well, I, I remember A little
bit.
Rodney Vellinga (13:04):
Yes, yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (13:06):
Yes, Name to the face, right, yeah.
But yeah, he called me thatmorning no-transcript.
He was like Coach Kapp's goingto reach out to you.
This is going to be a longprocess, two or three weeks
trying to decide who we want.
And then that night Coach Kappthe head of the line coach at
(13:26):
the time texted me, asked me ifI could call that night and I
was like, yeah, sure, Just gaveme the spot that night and it
was pretty cool.
And then, obviously, a coupleweeks later, I flipped.
It was a hard decision.
I would imagine Grand Valley issuch a good school.
Bill Kennedy (13:47):
Play a very high level of football.
Cooper Terpstra (13:49):
Yeah, and especially knowing that I can go
in there and be a guy in a yearor two and the part of Michigan
State being so unsure of what'sgoing to happen and all that
stuff like that.
But I ended up betting onmyself and it's kind of working
out.
Rodney Vellinga (14:07):
Yeah, you did bet on yourself oh yeah.
The story is still beingwritten.
This is what your dad told me.
The story is still beingwritten, but it's really great
you had when they came to you.
I know they thought you were alittle bit undersized at the
time, right, so you had to puton how much weight from the time
you graduated high school tillnow.
Cooper Terpstra (14:24):
Well, I actually haven't had to put on
any.
Really, yeah, my senior year,going into football season, I
was 265, maybe 255, somethinglike that.
And then I went to powerstrength that winter oh, and
Coach Pulse, the head strengthguy at the gym, I would go to um
, you'd punish us if we didn'thave, if we haven't gained
(14:47):
weight like in between sessions.
Yeah, so literally in fourmonths I gained 35, 40 pounds.
Rodney Vellinga (14:55):
This is before you got to Michigan state.
Oh, good for you Wow.
Cooper Terpstra (14:59):
Yeah.
So I mean and it it helped alot because, like, if I did go
to state, I don't know if Iwould have put on sloppy weight,
I wouldn't necessarily say theweight that I put on Sloppy
weight.
Rodney Vellinga (15:10):
I'm familiar with that term.
Yes, yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (15:13):
I wouldn't say my weight was all good, but I
definitely got a lot strongerand it benefited me a lot for
sure.
Bill Kennedy (15:19):
Yeah, and the guys at power strength have kind of
they've been through the ringer,they've gone, worked with a ton
of student athletes over theyears with um trying to get
things, uh, dialed in for kidsthat have gone on to walk on
Kenny.
Willekes is one of their kindof prize.
Examples of a kid that you knowwent through the power strength
way.
So, um, you know, as a, as a, asa guy that has always been a
(15:42):
big fan of the power strengthfolks, I'm glad that you got
some benefit yeah, I love powerstrength.
Cooper Terpstra (15:46):
I give them a lot of credit.
Rodney Vellinga (15:47):
Yeah you talk.
When you talk about football,you talk about coaches a lot, so
I hear collins names and someother names you've mentioned.
As a player, of course,michigan state went through a
lot of upheaval last year andnow there's new coaches there.
What is it like for you,specifically as a player, to go
from one type of offensivelineman coach to another?
(16:09):
What's it like trying torebuild those relationships?
What's that like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (16:14):
So it's not as complicated as people probably
think it would be.
We all know that collegefootball is a business and
there's going to be dudes comingin and out.
I mean our whole new coachingstaff is new and you just said
that.
But I feel like in some way itwas a good thing for our program
(16:34):
and for me as a player, becausewith Coach Smith's staff
they're very.
He's a lot like D'Antonio, soD'Antonio was a hardworking guy.
Just put your nose down and gofor it.
So I mean, a lot of walk-onsbenefit from Coach Smith, and
(16:57):
Coach Smith was a walk-onhimself.
Coach Smith and coach Smith waswalking himself.
So, um, I knew that going intoit, I got really, really lucky
with this staff and, um, thefirst thing my online coach told
me was that you'll get anopportunity whether you're on
scholarship or not.
So that was really good for meto hear and, um, building a
relationship with my new coachhas been the easiest thing ever.
(17:19):
He's how?
Rodney Vellinga (17:20):
so what makes it like that?
Cooper Terpstra (17:22):
he's just, uh, he really.
He reminds me a lot of my dadoh, there you go yeah, he's,
he's just a good dude and we'lltalk to you about your problems
and you can go to him about yourproblems, and he has his door
open whenever he's in thebuilding so, from your
perspective, you're seeing arelational.
Rodney Vellinga (17:40):
You're telling me it's a business which is good
and we understand that, but itsounds like his staff also has a
relational approach thatthey're doing A hundred percent.
Cooper Terpstra (17:49):
Yeah, with our old staff we'd have to make
meetings to go up and talk toour coaches.
You'd have to text them and belike, hey, can I come up at this
time?
Yes or no?
You never know what you'd reallyget to get on their schedule,
yeah, but and for example, inspring ball, I would literally
go just walk up the stairs andgo talk to coach m and we'd talk
(18:11):
about football, life, what'sgoing on with my girlfriend, my
family and we just go over filmand coach m is your offensive
offensive line coach.
What's his full name?
Mihalchek Jim Mihalchek.
Rodney Vellinga (18:21):
Okay, fantastic .
Bill Kennedy (18:23):
He came with Coach Smith from Oregon State.
Cooper Terpstra (18:25):
Yep, I think he's been with him since Oregon
State, I don't know.
Bill Kennedy (18:32):
College coaches bounce around, right, yes, and
they get a lot of names on theirresumes over the years for sure
on their resumes over the yearsfor sure.
I want to talk a little bitabout kind of the transition and
going from being a high schoolstudent athlete to being a
college student athlete and Iguess talk to me a little bit
about some things maybe that youfeel like West Ottawa prepared
(18:54):
you for in that transition.
But then some other things.
Maybe that if we have studentathletes here currently that are
going to listen to this, maybea little nugget of advice for
them as they begin thattransition to the collegiate
level.
Cooper Terpstra (19:08):
Yeah.
So I mean, in reality,nothing's really going to
prepare you at the full levelthat you want to be prepared for
, because it's just so different.
But especially with football, Imean it's the schedule.
You know how the schedule wouldchange around a lot in the
summer and you never really knewwhat was coming.
It's kind of a lot like thatand just always being ready for
(19:33):
a schedule change and beingwilling to do it and stuff, and
yeah, I think that's a big partof it.
But like, obviously the liftstoo are just a lot more
physically taxing you know Iwouldn't say it's just a big
(19:55):
difference.
I would say it's just a massivetime difference, because your
whole life is consumed incollege with your sports, your
job.
Yeah, and I mean, obviously youhave school on top of that too,
and you have to learn how to.
You have to learn how tobalance those two things to the
(20:15):
best of your ability.
But in high school you're goingto class and then you're going
to football and that's it forthe day.
You don't have film or youdon't have an extra lift,
especially during the season,and if you do, it's like 20
minutes.
But yeah, I feel like mybiggest piece of advice for a
(20:35):
current high school athletewould just be balancing your
time in high school.
Preparing yourself, likesetting a time, setting time
aside for your homework or stufflike that.
After practice, getting in arhythm of things Is that
different from the high schoolCooper Terpstra that we knew.
Rodney Vellinga (20:57):
Oh, absolutely yes 100% yeah yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (21:02):
Yeah, but it really does teach you in college
because you have to or else youcan't play.
Rodney Vellinga (21:07):
But you're done .
Yeah, you don't do it.
You're leaving campus, yeah.
Bill Kennedy (21:11):
I know I found when this is a long time ago,
but when I played I was a betterstudent during the season than
I was outside of the seasonbecause of that time management,
go into more detail on that.
Well, it's all about timemanagement During the course of
the season.
You're playing with very thintime constraints.
Rodney Vellinga (21:33):
Small margins right.
Bill Kennedy (21:34):
You have a limited amount of time to get the stuff
in for class.
Then all of a sudden you don'thave the season, so you don't
have those two-and three hourpractices every day you still?
Have lifts, yeah, which welifted in the morning, so that
was done for the day, and thenyou had that whole afternoon
what was the gaming system backthen, bill?
Rodney Vellinga (21:52):
we were sega, sega, sega, not atari.
No, no, I'm not that old.
Bill Kennedy (21:59):
I had atari when I was a kid but, but in college
we were up to Sega Genesis.
Rodney Vellinga (22:03):
Yeah, because that's the one thing that will
take your time away from thethings you're supposed to be
doing.
Yeah, for sure.
Cooper Terpstra (22:08):
Yeah, I think I agree with you, though my GPA
in the fall was a lot betterthan what it was in the spring,
because when you have free timeyou want to go do your own thing
.
I mean you're going to classand stuff, but I mean in college
you only have one or twoclasses a day, yeah, so maybe
sometimes not even having aclass.
(22:30):
So it's different because whenwhen you're, especially for me,
going into fall, it felt a lotlike our seasons in high school,
because I mean our practicewould be like school for me in
the morning and then I would goto my classes and then I would
(22:50):
be done at 5.
So then I would get all my workdone right after classes and go
to bed.
Bill Kennedy (22:58):
Right Get up and do it all over again.
Cooper Terpstra (22:59):
Yeah but in the spring I had so much time to
just do whatever I want.
Bill Kennedy (23:03):
And there's a well , there's part of it too,
because the first semesteryou're in college, you're on
this very structured schedulebasis, right?
And you, you have lessopportunity to really be a
typical college student, right,yeah?
So then, all of a sudden, youget to the spring and it's like
oh, I'm in college, yeah, it'scrazy.
Cooper Terpstra (23:22):
It's a weird feeling, that's for sure.
Rodney Vellinga (23:24):
How nice is it to be on campus there.
I love Michigan State campus.
What's it like for you just tobe on campus there?
Cooper Terpstra (23:33):
You know it's so much fun and whenever anybody
asks me what's Michigan Statelike?
It is electric, it is, let's go.
There is always stuff going on.
I mean like on Wednesday nightsthere's music downtown, like
live music.
Grand River is an awesome placeto be, especially for the
nightlife.
It's fun.
(23:54):
Campus is always so busy in thefall spring.
There's so much stuff to do.
I love it.
I'm so glad with my decision togo to Michigan.
Rodney Vellinga (24:05):
State when you come back here.
We were in the hallway earlierand you basically said I love
coming back here.
Yeah, talk about West Ottawa alittle bit.
What's it like for you to comeback in the building?
Maybe some of the things thatmakes you think of, but what's
it like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (24:19):
Well, I think it's the people you know, um,
whenever I get to come back tothe high school, I get to see
people that I had really goodconnections with throughout my
four years here, um, and I feellike that kind of brings me back
and you know it's, it's goodbeing back, um.
But yeah, I think it comes downto the people.
I mean West Ottawa, from whatI've heard with other people's
(24:44):
high school experiences on myteam, it is top notch With the
athletics, with the teachers.
I definitely took it forgranted and you don't think
about that because you?
Bill Kennedy (24:57):
don't have to.
Cooper Terpstra (24:58):
It's the only thing you know.
Rodney Vellinga (24:59):
Yeah, why would ?
Cooper Terpstra (25:00):
you?
You don't have to think aboutthat because you don't have to.
It's the only thing you know.
Yeah, why would you?
You don't have to think aboutthat?
But West Ottawa is seriouslylike I'm going to send my kids
here, like the diversity here.
Rodney Vellinga (25:10):
Yes.
Cooper Terpstra (25:11):
Like you're just getting ready for the real
world, and I think that theypreach that a lot and I think
that it's really good, but yeah,I think it's just the people.
Bill Kennedy (25:22):
And yeah, well, we love, we love having you back.
Um and I was talking tosomebody the other day it might
actually have been Rodney and Iwere talking and we were talking
about, uh, when Coop comes backon Friday nights and it's just
down on the sidelines and that'snot something you have to do,
but that's so impactful for notonly the guys that are in the
games on those friday nights butfor those young kids right that
(25:45):
are sitting along the wall yeahand you're a hero in their eyes
, right, because you're the thewest auto guy that's now playing
for big 10, baby, it's big 10playing for the spartans.
Um, so I just I can't thank youenough for doing that kind of
stuff.
When you, when we get ouralumni to come back, it's not
just the kids that you know thatare still on that sideline,
(26:06):
it's those younger kids that areup there watching as well.
Rodney Vellinga (26:08):
Yeah, there's also one other relationship that
I get to have a bird's eye viewon.
So this past fall, when Coop'scome back, because you
redshirted this year, yep.
So when Michigan State wouldtravel, I'm assuming you would
come to the games here, right?
Cooper Terpstra (26:22):
Yes.
Rodney Vellinga (26:22):
All right.
So Coop comes up to thefootball booth and this is so
nice.
This is a little sweet momentof our show here.
We're going to get to this, butCarl Von Enns and you have a
very special relationship.
It's so fun to watch whathappens when you come into the
booth.
What do you guys do, or what'sthat like for you again?
Cooper Terpstra (26:48):
Well, I mean it all kind of started like my
freshman, my sophomore year, Iwould say, or my eighth grade.
I mean you always hear hisvoice on the loudspeakers and I
mean he would sub for me inmiddle school and we've always
talked about football and he'salways called me a big guy, yeah
, fat, but yeah I, I wouldalways just go up and talk to
(27:08):
him, yeah, and and I reallyenjoy talking to him because
he's such a good dude.
Um, so whenever I just go seehim, it's just good catching up,
you know, and it's and he'sWest Ottawa, like literally.
Rodney Vellinga (27:23):
He's Mr West Ottawa, you guys both have a lot
of similar characteristics toyour personality.
You both are kind of outgoing,you know a lot of people, and
then when the two of you kind ofmeet, just like this, special
thing happens.
Cooper Terpstra (27:36):
He's the man.
Every single time I'm back Ihave to come see him.
Rodney Vellinga (27:39):
Yeah, it's the best.
Bill Kennedy (27:40):
And he has a lot of people that do that.
We talked a little bit aboutthat, just the number of people
that stop up at the booth,because that's the voice they've
always heard.
Rodney Vellinga (27:50):
Yeah, and it's really nice just when you come
up, just to let you know, when Isee and I got to say this to
you just from one human being toanother, basically, and being
to another, basically I know youa little bit, yeah, but I do
feel like I'm your, one of yourgood friends for some reason.
I think that's the way you makepeople feel in general, so it's
just really nice to always haveyou back on campus and see you
like that.
Bill Kennedy (28:09):
appreciate that I'm gonna jump to one thing real
quick here.
So as I drive up and I, as Ijust did, and I park out in
front of the athletic office,you know we've got our, our up
on the wall and one of myall-time favorite photos is the
night after we beat PortageNorthern 21-10, opening the
stadium at West Ottawa andseeing the.
(28:30):
It was a very organiccelebration that occurred right
and it's now started a tradition.
Rodney Vellinga (28:35):
Yeah, it's an epic photo, by the way.
It's an unbelievable photo.
It's timeless.
It'll go on forever.
Bill Kennedy (28:40):
But we've got West Ottawa, we've got Cooper up on
the front of the student section, arms raised up, the teammates
all around the student sectiongoing bonkers, talk a little bit
about, I guess, what that waslike kind of leading up to that
event, right, because you hadseen the really dark days of
West.
Ottawa football and you livedthrough that and on the back end
(29:04):
you got to open the beststadium in the midwest and start
to feel the taste of victoryagain yeah, that picture is
incredible.
Cooper Terpstra (29:13):
I love that picture.
And shout out laura.
Yeah, shout out laura oneminute Vildoff Photography.
Rodney Vellinga (29:20):
Sponsor of the 29.1 podcast.
Cooper Terpstra (29:22):
Thank you, laura.
Yeah, but that night was soemotional for me and every
single senior because you'reright, like I get chills
thinking about it right now.
Yeah, we went through so muchtogether in my junior year, my
sophomore year.
We were always like, oh, maybewe can sneak away a couple games
.
You know, my sophomore year wewere always like maybe we can
sneak away a couple of games.
(29:42):
You know, I mean, we weren't weweren't really good.
Well, obviously we weren't good,but like we had the people to
win and we all decided oursenior year that it was
absolutely culture thing.
And you know, going into mysenior year, we all got a lot
closer, but not to the pointwhere we needed to be.
Rodney Vellinga (30:03):
How'd that change?
Cooper Terpstra (30:06):
We actually went on a retreat to Coach
Beed's.
I was at Grand Haven for thoseof you who don't know, we went
to his cabin by Midland.
It was just a senior retreatand all of us went there.
Something happened.
I can't put it to words, but,like that weekend alone, it
(30:29):
changed our whole season because, like, for example, our Portage
Northern game that we're justtalking about, we scored a long
drive, first drive, I think.
We got the ball their firstplay, throw a touchdown Yep,
they're quarterbacks at Waynestate now, but we're.
We were like, oh, this is real,and but but the the difference
(30:53):
is the year before we would haveblamed it on somebody and then
it would have just completelyfallen apart.
But after that we all huddledup and we're like no way this,
we let this affect us.
And then we scored anothertouchdown and then I think we
scored 21 points before halftime.
Yeah, um, yeah, and that thatwas the last time they scored
(31:16):
that game.
They just kicked the field goalright.
So, yeah, that that momentmeans so much to me and, um,
especially for the other dudesin my grade that I'm still so
close with to this day.
We still talk about it everysingle time.
We hang out and it is justunbelievable how we were able to
make that culture change.
(31:37):
Yeah, and we needed that andwe're all so proud of that yeah,
and it's.
Bill Kennedy (31:42):
It was a.
It was a culture change, notonly for the football program
but, I think, athletics as awhole here at west ottawa.
Really, there was a a changethat occurred when that facility
opened.
There's a sense of pride thatwe have in that facility.
There's a sense of um, you know, on the friday nights, the
communities together, right,it's packed every friday night,
(32:04):
um, but that, yeah, that photowill forever have a place here
in the building somewhere it'sgot to go up somewhere because
it's.
Rodney Vellinga (32:12):
It's too good, it's absolutely a classic, up
somewhere it's too good.
Bill Kennedy (32:13):
It's absolutely a classic.
Bill's putting it on his ADschedule right now, it was the
first win here, and then tofinish the year then we were
kind of on the brink Could weget into the playoffs, but we
had to beat Jenison and you getto close out your time with a
(32:34):
win, not a lot of people.
Cooper Terpstra (32:36):
I can say that they did that, which is pretty
cool, and you know I I talked topeople about it.
Still, it would have been sogood to go to the playoffs, but
in reality we're I mean, we'renot a state championship team so
, but it was just an algorithmthat kept you out, right?
Rodney Vellinga (32:50):
I mean, it's a mathematical formula.
Cooper Terpstra (32:52):
Well, I mean, we had 12, 12 opportunities to
get in, with teams losing, andall of them didn't go our way.
So you know, that night I wasat peace with it.
Yeah, and there's part of methat wishes I could relive that
game, just to know it was mylast, because I didn't know at
the time that it would be mylast.
That's part of it, man.
(33:13):
So that sucks.
But um, yo, I'm at peace withit because not a lot of people
say that they can like that theywon their last high school game
and I think that's forespecially for the younger guys
on that team that we were tryingto help build up, build their
culture.
I think that was really goodfor them going into last year.
Bill Kennedy (33:36):
For sure, yeah, and you still have some
connections to the current team,right?
Cooper Terpstra (33:44):
Obviously, you and Connor Knapp are pretty
close.
Yeah, he's one of my bestfriends.
Bill Kennedy (33:47):
What are you expecting from the Panthers this
fall?
Cooper Terpstra (33:51):
You know I don't know yet.
Okay, I I'm very I will tellyou this I'm so confident in
coach Collins and his coachingstaff, though, Um, he came in
here with nothing.
Turn it into something.
So I think that we're going tobe good.
I think that this is going tobe the best year that coach
(34:12):
Collins has had here.
But I think that this is goingto be the best year that Coach
Collins has had here, but I mean, you guys know it all depends
on the OK Red.
Rodney Vellinga (34:18):
The OK Red, it's the gauntlet.
Cooper Terpstra (34:20):
It's tough but I think with their skill guys
especially, they're probablygoing to have the most speed in
the OK Red and Elijah Reynoldslike he's something else.
Bill Kennedy (34:33):
He's probably our next Big Ten type player.
Cooper Terpstra (34:39):
He's a dude, and Connor too.
Like Connor, has a great arm,great leader.
So I'm excited to see what theycan do.
It's going to be fun.
I've got to go back for theRockford game.
Bill Kennedy (34:49):
Okay.
Cooper Terpstra (34:50):
We all know that.
Bill Kennedy (34:51):
We hate Rockford Well, and we'll be close to you
in week number one because we'reat Grand Ledge.
Cooper Terpstra (34:56):
Yeah, I don't know.
Bill Kennedy (34:58):
Are you guys playing the?
Cooper Terpstra (34:58):
29th of.
Bill Kennedy (34:59):
August.
We're playing Thursday of thatfirst week.
Cooper Terpstra (35:02):
Okay.
Oh, that's right because youplay Friday night.
Bill Kennedy (35:06):
We play Friday.
Rodney Vellinga (35:08):
So, coop, that being said, your last game
against Jenison has been thelast football game you've played
.
Yeah, that is mind-boggling tome.
That's October of 2022.
Cooper Terpstra (35:22):
Yeah, yeah, last year.
I was itching man, especiallyin those games that we were
winning.
I was like just put me in for acouple snaps man.
Rodney Vellinga (35:33):
I'm right here, yeah but I get it.
Cooper Terpstra (35:35):
I mean, none of the other freshmen played last
year and um obviously have toearn your spot.
So I think the first, the firstgame, um against fau, and then
when we play prairie view a&m inb College, I think I'll get in.
I'm running too deep right now,so we'll see, can you?
Rodney Vellinga (35:57):
explain what too deep means to the
non-football listener.
Cooper Terpstra (36:00):
Yeah, so I'm second string, so it doesn't
necessarily mean that if thecenter goes down that I'm going
to be starting, but I'm like inthe top ten guys.
So especially for center, I'mnumber two.
But I mean there's other dudesthat could play center.
But yeah, I think thateventually I'll be able to get a
(36:24):
couple snaps this year, whichwill be pretty cool.
I mean, it's something I'vealways dreamed about.
Bill Kennedy (36:29):
Yeah.
Rodney Vellinga (36:31):
Your coach came .
Bill shared this with me lastweek.
Maybe you can speak to this,but I know you're working out
here and you talked with bill.
Uh, coach smith came up andsaid something to you that had a
bit of an impact on you.
Do you remember what that was?
Bill Kennedy (36:44):
what you told bill you're talking to me a little
bit about, uh, as the season ormaybe one of your workouts
spring ball maybe it was endingand he kind of called you in and
was talking to you about beinga walk-on.
This isn't really normal for awalk-on to be where you are.
Cooper Terpstra (37:01):
Yeah.
So he had a sheet of his notesfrom the meeting with Coach M,
my online coach, and he kind ofjust was going over it and read
exactly what it said.
He just said that I was toodeep and that I would be
traveling.
And he kind of looks up andhe's like whoa, and he's like
(37:25):
it's pretty cool that you'rewalking and you can do this your
second year.
So that was really cool to me.
That stuck out Especially.
You know, the part that sticksout to me too is that he would
take his time to maybe spendbecause not all walk-ons are
great, I mean, and I'm nowherenear great, but, um, like it,
just it's really cool to me thathe spends time with dudes that
(37:48):
are not on scholarship becausehe wants to know everybody's
opinion.
With our old staff it wasn'tlike that at all.
They didn't shoo us off, butyeah, with Coach Smith he puts
time in everybody.
Rodney Vellinga (38:00):
Yeah, I think him being a walk-on at Oregon
State back in the late 90s.
I mean, he knows what you'regoing through.
Cooper Terpstra (38:09):
Yeah, literally the first thing he said.
He said I was a walk-on onmyself and I promised my coach,
since he gave me an opportunity,that I would give every single
walk on an opportunity.
So he goes I don't care ifyou're a walk, I don't care if
you're in scholarship, the best22 dudes are gonna play there
you go.
Rodney Vellinga (38:26):
Yeah, that's a lot of incentive and like not
that you don't already have ityeah um you uh end up playing in
the Maryland Terrapins thisyear.
I took a look at that schedule.
Somebody in this room is a bigMaryland.
Bill Kennedy (38:38):
Terrapin fan.
Oh yeah, you got to go to theSnake Pit.
It's called the Snake Pit.
Well, college Park, collegePark, that's just.
You know, we like to call itthe Snake Pit.
Rodney Vellinga (38:49):
So where is the Bill Kennedy?
What are you going to?
Cheer for a coop to get intothe game, have the best game of
his life, but the terrapins pullit out by one no, I think you
know terps up big second halfand coop gets some run.
Bill Kennedy (39:04):
I mean it's, that's the ideal you know, but
my but my wife is a spartan so Ithat is definitely a weekend
where we have the house divided.
We call it the dog collar gameat my house because our dog
depending on who wins the game,that's the schools.
So he's wearing a Maryland.
He's wearing a Michigan Stateright now because State beat
(39:25):
Maryland during basketballseason.
Cooper Terpstra (39:27):
It's always football and basketball.
Bill Kennedy (39:30):
I keep trying to get her to let me add lacrosse
into the mix, and she just won'tgo for it.
Rodney Vellinga (39:36):
Yeah, that East Coast lacrosse.
Cooper Terpstra (39:38):
That would be unfair.
It would be unfair.
Bill Kennedy (39:40):
That's hilarious.
But yeah, my dad was a 40-plusyear season ticket holder for
the.
University of Maryland, sothat's the place I've seen more
games than any place on earth.
Actually, the first timeMichigan State went to Maryland,
my wife and I went down.
So yeah, Go Sparty, but exceptfor week two.
Cooper Terpstra (40:03):
I'm excited too .
That'll be fun.
I'm excited to go out there.
I mean, I've been to theairport in Baltimore, but that's
about it.
Rodney Vellinga (40:11):
Yeah, you get to travel this year.
I mean, you won't have thoseFriday nights available to come
back which we get, but you'regoing to be on the road.
I know you've got some games onthe West Coast too, right, yeah
.
Cooper Terpstra (40:21):
Oregon Knock on wood.
I'm traveling.
Rodney Vellinga (40:24):
Stay healthy during camp.
Cooper Terpstra (40:26):
Yeah, I mean Oregon will be sweet.
That's something I'm reallylooking forward to, so I got to
see a game.
Bill Kennedy (40:33):
I lived in eugene for a little bit actually when
coach smith was the quarterbackat oregon state, um.
So I got to see a game atottson, um, and I also got to
see a game at husky stadium inseattle, um both unbelievable
venues.
That's the part I think ofbeing a big time college
football player I'm alwaysjealous of is the opportunities
(40:53):
to go into all of those awaystadiums, and some of the best
venues in the history of collegefootball are in the Big Ten.
I've been to a lot of them overthe years.
Cooper Terpstra (41:06):
It will be pretty cool.
I'm really excited for that.
Rodney Vellinga (41:09):
Well, this has been great, but I do want to get
to one more thing that's reallyimportant to me, and it's your
golf game this summer.
Can you tell me a little bitabout that?
Cooper Terpstra (41:17):
Yeah, I mean I've I've gotten down to a lot
lower handicap, so I would uh, Imean I would always lose my dad
.
I would.
I would be beating him by astroke or two, going into the
sixth or seventh hole, and thenI would just have a couple
eights and then he'd beat meevery time.
So I took it upon myself thissummer to go golfing a lot and
(41:40):
it's helped a lot.
So finally figured out how tohit my irons a little bit, my
driver's going straighter, yeah,I mean my handicap's at 11 or
12 right now.
Rodney Vellinga (41:50):
Okay, that's impressive.
Cooper Terpstra (41:52):
It's hard to turn around, though it's hard to
get through the ball, the bigbody.
Bill Kennedy (42:00):
A lot of stuff to move there.
Rodney Vellinga (42:02):
Have you been able to take down Big Jim?
I have.
Cooper Terpstra (42:05):
I've been cooking him, man.
I beat him by 10 strokes lasttime we played.
Rodney Vellinga (42:10):
Sorry, jim Terpster, we had to talk about
some golf.
Cooper Terpstra (42:13):
Sorry to do it to you.
Sorry, Dad.
Rodney Vellinga (42:17):
Alright.
Well, this has been absolutelyfantastic.
This is our first ever episodeof the 29-1, our first ever
guest Michigan State offensivelineman Cooper Terpstra.
He's loved by all and it's beenreally great to sit down with
you, man.
Cooper Terpstra (42:31):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, thank you guys so muchfor having me.
Rodney Vellinga (42:33):
It's, it's been a really good time, absolutely
anytime, my man all right, we'llsee you out in east lansing at
spartan stadium.
Let's do it all right.
Thanks, man yeah sweet Thankyou.
Well, hey, welcome everybody to the 29 one
podcast.
This is our initial episode.
I'm Rodney Vellinga and I'msitting here with my co-host,
Bill Kennedy, and we haveprobably the best guests we
could have for episode one who?
Cooper Terpstra (00:14):
is it Absolutely?
Rodney Vellinga (00:15):
I don't know about that, cooper Terpstra.
Does anyone recognize thatlaugh?
Bill Kennedy (00:21):
Yeah, coop.
Coop was an eighth grader whenI first started here at West
Ottawa.
So I got to see Coop kind ofgrow up big personality from the
very beginning.
Multi-sport athlete here atWest Ottawa.
So when it was talking about,hey, who's the first guest?
Well, we've got to go to the.
(00:41):
Well, we've got to go to thebest guy out there, the guy with
the most personality well, Iappreciate you guys for having
me the affable the laughable.
Rodney Vellinga (00:49):
Oh yeah, cooper turbstraff.
Yeah, all right, coop.
So we're gonna get started here.
Uh, first of all, how's thesummer going?
So far, you're you're spendingprobably time between here and
east lansing.
What's that like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (01:00):
yeah, so the summer has been good.
Obviously the workouts.
You were a college athlete.
So yeah.
So I mean the workouts havebeen tough with the new staff,
especially like last year I forone, so that it's been nice just
being home.
And then obviously the fourthof July break um, I gotta spend
(01:32):
time with my family from NewJersey, uh, and then our break
right now, um, going into fallcamp.
So yeah, I mean there's a goodbalance in the summer of being
home, working out and stuff.
But yeah, I mean it's beensummer has been really good so
far.
How long is this current breakfor you?
I have until tomorrow night, sofour day break.
Bill Kennedy (01:54):
OK, yeah, it's been nice.
Back to it.
Yeah, when's the official startdate for camp?
Cooper Terpstra (02:00):
July 30th, but next week we have a thing called
ramp up.
July 30th, but next week wehave a thing called ramp up.
So it's it's a four day workoutseries of um walkthroughs and
installs, obviously with liftand running too, but um, the
hard conditioning is done forthe summer, which is nice.
Bill Kennedy (02:17):
That's awesome.
Rodney Vellinga (02:17):
You had a group of people in town a week or two
ago.
You brought the linemen intotown.
You tell us about that a littlebit.
Cooper Terpstra (02:23):
Yeah, it was a great time.
So back in the winter we weretalking, trying to come up with
things that would get our O-linecloser.
And I brought up Holland,michigan.
Obviously both of you guys knowthat it's the best place on
earth in the summer.
Rodney Vellinga (02:39):
Oh yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (02:40):
Winter is man, but summer I mean, it's a great
place and yeah, I recommendedthat.
And then I reached out toStephanie's family and was like,
hey, can we stay at your house?
I didn't think they would sayyes, but they said yes and yeah,
it was great.
We just hung around, swam, didsea dues for a day.
(03:01):
One of our guys almost hit ayacht that was parked I like the
word almost there.
Yeah, no, I was freaking outbecause it was under my name too
.
Bill Kennedy (03:12):
Probably some guys within that lineman group that
have never been to Lake Michigan.
Cooper Terpstra (03:16):
Yeah, actually multiple of them.
It was surprising.
And the new guys coming in fromOregon and stuff Washington
with Coach Smith's newrecruiting class that was going
to go to Oregon State flippedover to Michigan State, they
were in disbelief.
They thought it was an oceanLike they were calling it an
ocean.
Rodney Vellinga (03:36):
Yeah, until you get here, the vision of a lake
in your head certainly is in acertain framework.
Oh yeah, but you hit thatoverlook.
They probably have an overlookat lobster's place.
Yeah, or you can see the water,oh well, it's crazy.
Cooper Terpstra (03:48):
It's crazy how michigan's the best place on
earth I say that to everybody onour team like it's unbelievable
.
I mean, it being gone makes youappreciate it so much more too.
Yeah the.
Rodney Vellinga (04:00):
uh, I was checking some stuff out on you,
your communications major atMichigan State, so I'm glad we
can be a little internship foryou today.
Bill Kennedy (04:08):
That's great.
Rodney Vellinga (04:10):
But I also did notice something peculiar, not
peculiar, but you got number 54back.
I did.
Cooper Terpstra (04:15):
Thank God, yeah , no.
So I went to the equipmentstaff because the old 54, he
just transferred to Arkansas soI was like, can I do it?
And they were like, yeah, wejust have to talk to your online
coach.
Talk to him and.
I got to go and I didn't knowwhen it was going to happen, so
(04:35):
I walked up to my cubby.
We have laundry cubbies that weget our clothes out of every
day.
I saw the 54.
And I couldn't believe it.
I sent a picture straight to myfamily group chat.
Bill Kennedy (04:48):
I'm sure Pops was super stoked about that.
Cooper Terpstra (04:50):
Yeah, it's pretty cool.
Bill Kennedy (04:51):
It's pretty cool yeah.
Rodney Vellinga (04:53):
Yeah, it was really cool to see it because I
was looking at some pictures ofyou when you were at West Ottawa
and especially after that firstwin over Portage Northern,
everybody going to the studentsection.
I saw a 54 there and then I saw, saw 55, and I saw, oh, he's
got 54 again.
Something's going on here, sothat was pretty sweet.
Bill Kennedy (05:08):
Yeah, I did not have that luck in college so I
was 55, more 55 in everythingbasketball and football in high
school and then I got to collegeand I had to go to 51.
The guy that had 55 was notcoming off of it because it was
his high school number as well.
Rodney Vellinga (05:24):
Um, but then you know, 51, dick buckus yeah,
pretty good player so I was likeall right, I'm gonna stick with
51 coop, when you get 54 back,like you're super jacked about
that.
What does it do for you?
Cooper Terpstra (05:36):
I don't know.
I feel like there's a certainit's weird that I say this, but
I feel like there's a certainlevel of confidence in that,
because with 55 it was I meanit's not you it was.
No, I've worn 54 since I was inthird grade.
Yeah, um, and it meanssomething to me, and I mean not
everybody's numbers meansomething to them, but 54 is I
mean I wore all four years here,um, well, except for my
(05:59):
freshman year, but that's um,but yeah, I mean I've worn it
since third grade and it's kindof like ingrained in me.
All my stuff is 54, 54, andthen it was 55, so it was kind
of weird, it was like analternate universe.
Yes, yeah, it was really weirdmy freshman year putting on the
55, but now, like there's acertain level of confidence that
(06:25):
, all right, I'm back to where Iwas in high school and that
right, you know I, I can rock 54.
Well, I guess I don't know.
And to some extent you, youearned the right to wear it
right for sure you were thoughtof as much by your offensive
line coach to for him to sayyeah, I'm going to give you the
blessing to make that move.
Bill Kennedy (06:42):
So that says something a little bit about
kind of what you've accomplishedin a couple of years at MSU.
Rodney Vellinga (06:47):
What has been the grind?
I know there's a grind duringthe year with spring ball and
all that.
What is your summer?
A typical summer grind day foryou, getting ready for the fall.
Cooper Terpstra (06:58):
So our workout schedule is we go Monday,
tuesday, then break Wednesday,and then Thursday, friday.
So we don't do conditioningevery day, we do a lot of speed
work too.
So our conditioning is justTuesdays and Fridays.
So we'll go on Monday, andusually Mondays are the roughest
(07:20):
days because you're coming backfrom home or you had a good
time with your friends in EastLansing, something like that,
and in the summer, like you seeall your friends they're working
a job, they're hanging out withtheir friends on a Monday,
sunday night, and then you go onMonday and you're like woo back
(07:41):
at it.
But I mean, the typical day iswe really get in.
So our offensive group, we're at915.
So we usually have meetingsaround 715.
Then we'll have a walkthroughat 815.
And then we'll have our speedon Mondays and Thursdays and
(08:04):
then we'll just go lift.
Our lifts are pretty long,they're about an hour and a half
.
But on Tuesdays and Thursdayswe condition before our lift and
that's something else.
That's a whole other beast, butI mean they're short and sweet,
so it's not awful, but I meanyou get through them.
Rodney Vellinga (08:26):
Well, I was saying when you came in here
today.
Today, this is the fittest I'veever seen you.
We were talking before yeah Imean, you've always been a big
husky guy, but you are fit rightnow, brother I feel good.
Cooper Terpstra (08:34):
I've dropped down to about 297, 300 and I was
at 315 in the winter.
I I was, I feel, the best I'veever felt, conditioning-wise
especially.
I feel like it's a mentalbarrier too, especially with
going into those runs and stuffbeing like, whew, it's going to
(08:55):
be a rough one today, but I mean, you get past it and then, when
you get past it the firstcouple times, it's kind of
normal and I feel like that's apart of the reason why I've made
a body, body transition, bodychange, um, I, I just feel like
it's a mental thing as well.
Um, I've cleaned up the diet,um, so yeah, I mean, and when
(09:20):
you do those hard runs, it makesyou want to put more into the
stuff that will make you benefitfrom it.
Bill Kennedy (09:26):
You know for sure.
So you you touched on a littlebit there about like kind of the
mental hurdle and immediatelywhat it brings back to me as a
guy.
That you know, left high schoolfootball, went and played
college football.
Talk to us a little bit aboutthat first experience.
Like now I'm a college footballplayer and kind of the mental
(09:48):
side of that?
Yeah, because it's difficult.
You know, a lot of kids are inthe gym on signing day yeah and
they're not there three weeksinto a college, yeah, for sure
yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (09:58):
So, um, last summer it kind of felt like I
was just starstruck the wholesummer, you know, I mean I
wouldn't necessarily say withthe guys, but with the whole
system and how it's a business.
It's just a whole differentchange.
But you know, I would reallysay my welcome to college moment
was probably like the third daycamp and Derek Harmon, um,
(10:20):
who's a really good defensivelineman for us oh, I went up
against him and he justulled melike I was a little kid and I'm
bigger than everybody in highschool, so I never really had
that done to me and I was likewhoa.
And then after that I was likeall right, yeah, you need to
work on your technique, you needto stay low.
I mean everything that ourcoaches preach in high school
(10:42):
and we don't do Because youdon't have to, because you can
get away with it.
Rodney Vellinga (10:45):
Yeah, you can absolutely get away with it.
Cooper Terpstra (10:48):
Like you really have to focus on that stuff.
And yeah, it's a wholedifferent animal.
It's crazy.
Rodney Vellinga (10:57):
When you first committed to Grand Valley you
had done that in your junioryear and then getting to
Michigan State was kind ofsomething pretty special where
that ended up happening.
Can you walk us through theWayne State visit?
Going to like being committedto Grand Valley doing the Wayne
(11:17):
State visit?
Can you just walk us throughwhat that's like?
Cooper Terpstra (11:19):
Yeah, so I was on a.
When I committed to GrandValley, I was actually in
Montana visiting Montana State.
It's an FCS school and I lovedit.
But that trip also made merealize like it's way too far
away from home for me and I'm ahomebody.
So, yeah, so I got home,committed that day and Grand
(11:41):
Valley great school.
It was a great place to be.
But literally like two daysafter I committed to Grand
Valley, I told my cousin that Iwould go on a visit with him and
he's actually at Wayne Statenow Jaden Acker.
Yeah, so he's actually at WayneState now, which is funny, but
talking to all the coaches andstuff.
(12:02):
I met their tight ends coach,Coach Lael and he.
I mean, we just talked for alittle bit.
It's not like, Right, you'rejust talking to him, yeah, yeah,
Talking together.
And shortly after that inAugust he ended up at Michigan
State for the GA job because itopened up and we went through my
(12:24):
whole season and I got a coupleaccolades, I got like All-State
and then the Detroit Free PressDream.
Bill Kennedy (12:32):
Team.
Cooper Terpstra (12:33):
So I guess they looked at that stuff and Coach
Slale recognized my name andthey were looking for a couple
walk-ons.
So he reached out to me and hewas like, would you be
interested in this?
And I was like, matter of factyeah.
I've been talking to coachCollins about it and he's trying
to get dudes to reach out forme and he, coach Lyle, called me
and he's like I don't know ifyou remember me and I was like
(12:56):
and he's like, oh, I was atWayne State.
When you're there, I was like,oh, okay, yeah, yeah, I got you
so you truly did not rememberhim well, I, I remember A little
bit.
Rodney Vellinga (13:04):
Yes, yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (13:06):
Yes, Name to the face, right, yeah.
But yeah, he called me thatmorning no-transcript.
He was like Coach Kapp's goingto reach out to you.
This is going to be a longprocess, two or three weeks
trying to decide who we want.
And then that night Coach Kappthe head of the line coach at
(13:26):
the time texted me, asked me ifI could call that night and I
was like, yeah, sure, Just gaveme the spot that night and it
was pretty cool.
And then, obviously, a coupleweeks later, I flipped.
It was a hard decision.
I would imagine Grand Valley issuch a good school.
Bill Kennedy (13:47):
Play a very high level of football.
Cooper Terpstra (13:49):
Yeah, and especially knowing that I can go
in there and be a guy in a yearor two and the part of Michigan
State being so unsure of what'sgoing to happen and all that
stuff like that.
But I ended up betting onmyself and it's kind of working
out.
Rodney Vellinga (14:07):
Yeah, you did bet on yourself oh yeah.
The story is still beingwritten.
This is what your dad told me.
The story is still beingwritten, but it's really great
you had when they came to you.
I know they thought you were alittle bit undersized at the
time, right, so you had to puton how much weight from the time
you graduated high school tillnow.
Cooper Terpstra (14:24):
Well, I actually haven't had to put on
any.
Really, yeah, my senior year,going into football season, I
was 265, maybe 255, somethinglike that.
And then I went to powerstrength that winter oh, and
Coach Pulse, the head strengthguy at the gym, I would go to um
, you'd punish us if we didn'thave, if we haven't gained
(14:47):
weight like in between sessions.
Yeah, so literally in fourmonths I gained 35, 40 pounds.
Rodney Vellinga (14:55):
This is before you got to Michigan state.
Oh, good for you Wow.
Cooper Terpstra (14:59):
Yeah.
So I mean and it it helped alot because, like, if I did go
to state, I don't know if Iwould have put on sloppy weight,
I wouldn't necessarily say theweight that I put on Sloppy
weight.
Rodney Vellinga (15:10):
I'm familiar with that term.
Yes, yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (15:13):
I wouldn't say my weight was all good, but I
definitely got a lot strongerand it benefited me a lot for
sure.
Bill Kennedy (15:19):
Yeah, and the guys at power strength have kind of
they've been through the ringer,they've gone, worked with a ton
of student athletes over theyears with um trying to get
things, uh, dialed in for kidsthat have gone on to walk on
Kenny.
Willekes is one of their kindof prize.
Examples of a kid that you knowwent through the power strength
way.
So, um, you know, as a, as a, asa guy that has always been a
(15:42):
big fan of the power strengthfolks, I'm glad that you got
some benefit yeah, I love powerstrength.
Cooper Terpstra (15:46):
I give them a lot of credit.
Rodney Vellinga (15:47):
Yeah you talk.
When you talk about football,you talk about coaches a lot, so
I hear collins names and someother names you've mentioned.
As a player, of course,michigan state went through a
lot of upheaval last year andnow there's new coaches there.
What is it like for you,specifically as a player, to go
from one type of offensivelineman coach to another?
(16:09):
What's it like trying torebuild those relationships?
What's that like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (16:14):
So it's not as complicated as people probably
think it would be.
We all know that collegefootball is a business and
there's going to be dudes comingin and out.
I mean our whole new coachingstaff is new and you just said
that.
But I feel like in some way itwas a good thing for our program
(16:34):
and for me as a player, becausewith Coach Smith's staff
they're very.
He's a lot like D'Antonio, soD'Antonio was a hardworking guy.
Just put your nose down and gofor it.
So I mean, a lot of walk-onsbenefit from Coach Smith, and
(16:57):
Coach Smith was a walk-onhimself.
Coach Smith and coach Smith waswalking himself.
So, um, I knew that going intoit, I got really, really lucky
with this staff and, um, thefirst thing my online coach told
me was that you'll get anopportunity whether you're on
scholarship or not.
So that was really good for meto hear and, um, building a
relationship with my new coachhas been the easiest thing ever.
(17:19):
He's how?
Rodney Vellinga (17:20):
so what makes it like that?
Cooper Terpstra (17:22):
he's just, uh, he really.
He reminds me a lot of my dadoh, there you go yeah, he's,
he's just a good dude and we'lltalk to you about your problems
and you can go to him about yourproblems, and he has his door
open whenever he's in thebuilding so, from your
perspective, you're seeing arelational.
Rodney Vellinga (17:40):
You're telling me it's a business which is good
and we understand that, but itsounds like his staff also has a
relational approach thatthey're doing A hundred percent.
Cooper Terpstra (17:49):
Yeah, with our old staff we'd have to make
meetings to go up and talk toour coaches.
You'd have to text them and belike, hey, can I come up at this
time?
Yes or no?
You never know what you'd reallyget to get on their schedule,
yeah, but and for example, inspring ball, I would literally
go just walk up the stairs andgo talk to coach m and we'd talk
(18:11):
about football, life, what'sgoing on with my girlfriend, my
family and we just go over filmand coach m is your offensive
offensive line coach.
What's his full name?
Mihalchek Jim Mihalchek.
Rodney Vellinga (18:21):
Okay, fantastic .
Bill Kennedy (18:23):
He came with Coach Smith from Oregon State.
Cooper Terpstra (18:25):
Yep, I think he's been with him since Oregon
State, I don't know.
Bill Kennedy (18:32):
College coaches bounce around, right, yes, and
they get a lot of names on theirresumes over the years for sure
on their resumes over the yearsfor sure.
I want to talk a little bitabout kind of the transition and
going from being a high schoolstudent athlete to being a
college student athlete and Iguess talk to me a little bit
about some things maybe that youfeel like West Ottawa prepared
(18:54):
you for in that transition.
But then some other things.
Maybe that if we have studentathletes here currently that are
going to listen to this, maybea little nugget of advice for
them as they begin thattransition to the collegiate
level.
Cooper Terpstra (19:08):
Yeah.
So I mean, in reality,nothing's really going to
prepare you at the full levelthat you want to be prepared for
, because it's just so different.
But especially with football, Imean it's the schedule.
You know how the schedule wouldchange around a lot in the
summer and you never really knewwhat was coming.
It's kind of a lot like thatand just always being ready for
(19:33):
a schedule change and beingwilling to do it and stuff, and
yeah, I think that's a big partof it.
But like, obviously the liftstoo are just a lot more
physically taxing you know Iwouldn't say it's just a big
(19:55):
difference.
I would say it's just a massivetime difference, because your
whole life is consumed incollege with your sports, your
job.
Yeah, and I mean, obviously youhave school on top of that too,
and you have to learn how to.
You have to learn how tobalance those two things to the
(20:15):
best of your ability.
But in high school you're goingto class and then you're going
to football and that's it forthe day.
You don't have film or youdon't have an extra lift,
especially during the season,and if you do, it's like 20
minutes.
But yeah, I feel like mybiggest piece of advice for a
(20:35):
current high school athletewould just be balancing your
time in high school.
Preparing yourself, likesetting a time, setting time
aside for your homework or stufflike that.
After practice, getting in arhythm of things Is that
different from the high schoolCooper Terpstra that we knew.
Rodney Vellinga (20:57):
Oh, absolutely yes 100% yeah yeah.
Cooper Terpstra (21:02):
Yeah, but it really does teach you in college
because you have to or else youcan't play.
Rodney Vellinga (21:07):
But you're done .
Yeah, you don't do it.
You're leaving campus, yeah.
Bill Kennedy (21:11):
I know I found when this is a long time ago,
but when I played I was a betterstudent during the season than
I was outside of the seasonbecause of that time management,
go into more detail on that.
Well, it's all about timemanagement During the course of
the season.
You're playing with very thintime constraints.
Rodney Vellinga (21:33):
Small margins right.
Bill Kennedy (21:34):
You have a limited amount of time to get the stuff
in for class.
Then all of a sudden you don'thave the season, so you don't
have those two-and three hourpractices every day you still?
Have lifts, yeah, which welifted in the morning, so that
was done for the day, and thenyou had that whole afternoon
what was the gaming system backthen, bill?
Rodney Vellinga (21:52):
we were sega, sega, sega, not atari.
No, no, I'm not that old.
Bill Kennedy (21:59):
I had atari when I was a kid but, but in college
we were up to Sega Genesis.
Rodney Vellinga (22:03):
Yeah, because that's the one thing that will
take your time away from thethings you're supposed to be
doing.
Yeah, for sure.
Cooper Terpstra (22:08):
Yeah, I think I agree with you, though my GPA
in the fall was a lot betterthan what it was in the spring,
because when you have free timeyou want to go do your own thing
.
I mean you're going to classand stuff, but I mean in college
you only have one or twoclasses a day, yeah, so maybe
sometimes not even having aclass.
(22:30):
So it's different because whenwhen you're, especially for me,
going into fall, it felt a lotlike our seasons in high school,
because I mean our practicewould be like school for me in
the morning and then I would goto my classes and then I would
(22:50):
be done at 5.
So then I would get all my workdone right after classes and go
to bed.
Bill Kennedy (22:58):
Right Get up and do it all over again.
Cooper Terpstra (22:59):
Yeah but in the spring I had so much time to
just do whatever I want.
Bill Kennedy (23:03):
And there's a well , there's part of it too,
because the first semesteryou're in college, you're on
this very structured schedulebasis, right?
And you, you have lessopportunity to really be a
typical college student, right,yeah?
So then, all of a sudden, youget to the spring and it's like
oh, I'm in college, yeah, it'scrazy.
Cooper Terpstra (23:22):
It's a weird feeling, that's for sure.
Rodney Vellinga (23:24):
How nice is it to be on campus there.
I love Michigan State campus.
What's it like for you just tobe on campus there?
Cooper Terpstra (23:33):
You know it's so much fun and whenever anybody
asks me what's Michigan Statelike?
It is electric, it is, let's go.
There is always stuff going on.
I mean like on Wednesday nightsthere's music downtown, like
live music.
Grand River is an awesome placeto be, especially for the
nightlife.
It's fun.
(23:54):
Campus is always so busy in thefall spring.
There's so much stuff to do.
I love it.
I'm so glad with my decision togo to Michigan.
Rodney Vellinga (24:05):
State when you come back here.
We were in the hallway earlierand you basically said I love
coming back here.
Yeah, talk about West Ottawa alittle bit.
What's it like for you to comeback in the building?
Maybe some of the things thatmakes you think of, but what's
it like for you?
Cooper Terpstra (24:19):
Well, I think it's the people you know, um,
whenever I get to come back tothe high school, I get to see
people that I had really goodconnections with throughout my
four years here, um, and I feellike that kind of brings me back
and you know it's, it's goodbeing back, um.
But yeah, I think it comes downto the people.
I mean West Ottawa, from whatI've heard with other people's
(24:44):
high school experiences on myteam, it is top notch With the
athletics, with the teachers.
I definitely took it forgranted and you don't think
about that because you?
Bill Kennedy (24:57):
don't have to.
Cooper Terpstra (24:58):
It's the only thing you know.
Rodney Vellinga (24:59):
Yeah, why would ?
Cooper Terpstra (25:00):
you?
You don't have to think aboutthat because you don't have to.
It's the only thing you know.
Yeah, why would you?
You don't have to think aboutthat?
But West Ottawa is seriouslylike I'm going to send my kids
here, like the diversity here.
Rodney Vellinga (25:10):
Yes.
Cooper Terpstra (25:11):
Like you're just getting ready for the real
world, and I think that theypreach that a lot and I think
that it's really good, but yeah,I think it's just the people.
Bill Kennedy (25:22):
And yeah, well, we love, we love having you back.
Um and I was talking tosomebody the other day it might
actually have been Rodney and Iwere talking and we were talking
about, uh, when Coop comes backon Friday nights and it's just
down on the sidelines and that'snot something you have to do,
but that's so impactful for notonly the guys that are in the
games on those friday nights butfor those young kids right that
(25:45):
are sitting along the wall yeahand you're a hero in their eyes
, right, because you're the thewest auto guy that's now playing
for big 10, baby, it's big 10playing for the spartans.
Um, so I just I can't thank youenough for doing that kind of
stuff.
When you, when we get ouralumni to come back, it's not
just the kids that you know thatare still on that sideline,
(26:06):
it's those younger kids that areup there watching as well.
Rodney Vellinga (26:08):
Yeah, there's also one other relationship that
I get to have a bird's eye viewon.
So this past fall, when Coop'scome back, because you
redshirted this year, yep.
So when Michigan State wouldtravel, I'm assuming you would
come to the games here, right?
Cooper Terpstra (26:22):
Yes.
Rodney Vellinga (26:22):
All right.
So Coop comes up to thefootball booth and this is so
nice.
This is a little sweet momentof our show here.
We're going to get to this, butCarl Von Enns and you have a
very special relationship.
It's so fun to watch whathappens when you come into the
booth.
What do you guys do, or what'sthat like for you again?
Cooper Terpstra (26:48):
Well, I mean it all kind of started like my
freshman, my sophomore year, Iwould say, or my eighth grade.
I mean you always hear hisvoice on the loudspeakers and I
mean he would sub for me inmiddle school and we've always
talked about football and he'salways called me a big guy, yeah
, fat, but yeah I, I wouldalways just go up and talk to
(27:08):
him, yeah, and and I reallyenjoy talking to him because
he's such a good dude.
Um, so whenever I just go seehim, it's just good catching up,
you know, and it's and he'sWest Ottawa, like literally.
Rodney Vellinga (27:23):
He's Mr West Ottawa, you guys both have a lot
of similar characteristics toyour personality.
You both are kind of outgoing,you know a lot of people, and
then when the two of you kind ofmeet, just like this, special
thing happens.
Cooper Terpstra (27:36):
He's the man.
Every single time I'm back Ihave to come see him.
Rodney Vellinga (27:39):
Yeah, it's the best.
Bill Kennedy (27:40):
And he has a lot of people that do that.
We talked a little bit aboutthat, just the number of people
that stop up at the booth,because that's the voice they've
always heard.
Rodney Vellinga (27:50):
Yeah, and it's really nice just when you come
up, just to let you know, when Isee and I got to say this to
you just from one human being toanother, basically, and being
to another, basically I know youa little bit, yeah, but I do
feel like I'm your, one of yourgood friends for some reason.
I think that's the way you makepeople feel in general, so it's
just really nice to always haveyou back on campus and see you
like that.
Bill Kennedy (28:09):
appreciate that I'm gonna jump to one thing real
quick here.
So as I drive up and I, as Ijust did, and I park out in
front of the athletic office,you know we've got our, our up
on the wall and one of myall-time favorite photos is the
night after we beat PortageNorthern 21-10, opening the
stadium at West Ottawa andseeing the.
(28:30):
It was a very organiccelebration that occurred right
and it's now started a tradition.
Rodney Vellinga (28:35):
Yeah, it's an epic photo, by the way.
It's an unbelievable photo.
It's timeless.
It'll go on forever.
Bill Kennedy (28:40):
But we've got West Ottawa, we've got Cooper up on
the front of the student section, arms raised up, the teammates
all around the student sectiongoing bonkers, talk a little bit
about, I guess, what that waslike kind of leading up to that
event, right, because you hadseen the really dark days of
West.
Ottawa football and you livedthrough that and on the back end
(29:04):
you got to open the beststadium in the midwest and start
to feel the taste of victoryagain yeah, that picture is
incredible.
Cooper Terpstra (29:13):
I love that picture.
And shout out laura.
Yeah, shout out laura oneminute Vildoff Photography.
Rodney Vellinga (29:20):
Sponsor of the 29.1 podcast.
Cooper Terpstra (29:22):
Thank you, laura.
Yeah, but that night was soemotional for me and every
single senior because you'reright, like I get chills
thinking about it right now.
Yeah, we went through so muchtogether in my junior year, my
sophomore year.
We were always like, oh, maybewe can sneak away a couple games
.
You know, my sophomore year wewere always like maybe we can
sneak away a couple of games.
(29:42):
You know, I mean, we weren't weweren't really good.
Well, obviously we weren't good,but like we had the people to
win and we all decided oursenior year that it was
absolutely culture thing.
And you know, going into mysenior year, we all got a lot
closer, but not to the pointwhere we needed to be.
Rodney Vellinga (30:03):
How'd that change?
Cooper Terpstra (30:06):
We actually went on a retreat to Coach
Beed's.
I was at Grand Haven for thoseof you who don't know, we went
to his cabin by Midland.
It was just a senior retreatand all of us went there.
Something happened.
I can't put it to words, but,like that weekend alone, it
(30:29):
changed our whole season because, like, for example, our Portage
Northern game that we're justtalking about, we scored a long
drive, first drive, I think.
We got the ball their firstplay, throw a touchdown Yep,
they're quarterbacks at Waynestate now, but we're.
We were like, oh, this is real,and but but the the difference
(30:53):
is the year before we would haveblamed it on somebody and then
it would have just completelyfallen apart.
But after that we all huddledup and we're like no way this,
we let this affect us.
And then we scored anothertouchdown and then I think we
scored 21 points before halftime.
Yeah, um, yeah, and that thatwas the last time they scored
(31:16):
that game.
They just kicked the field goalright.
So, yeah, that that momentmeans so much to me and, um,
especially for the other dudesin my grade that I'm still so
close with to this day.
We still talk about it everysingle time.
We hang out and it is justunbelievable how we were able to
make that culture change.
(31:37):
Yeah, and we needed that andwe're all so proud of that yeah,
and it's.
Bill Kennedy (31:42):
It was a.
It was a culture change, notonly for the football program
but, I think, athletics as awhole here at west ottawa.
Really, there was a a changethat occurred when that facility
opened.
There's a sense of pride thatwe have in that facility.
There's a sense of um, you know, on the friday nights, the
communities together, right,it's packed every friday night,
(32:04):
um, but that, yeah, that photowill forever have a place here
in the building somewhere it'sgot to go up somewhere because
it's.
Rodney Vellinga (32:12):
It's too good, it's absolutely a classic, up
somewhere it's too good.
Bill Kennedy (32:13):
It's absolutely a classic.
Bill's putting it on his ADschedule right now, it was the
first win here, and then tofinish the year then we were
kind of on the brink Could weget into the playoffs, but we
had to beat Jenison and you getto close out your time with a
(32:34):
win, not a lot of people.
Cooper Terpstra (32:36):
I can say that they did that, which is pretty
cool, and you know I I talked topeople about it.
Still, it would have been sogood to go to the playoffs, but
in reality we're I mean, we'renot a state championship team so
, but it was just an algorithmthat kept you out, right?
Rodney Vellinga (32:50):
I mean, it's a mathematical formula.
Cooper Terpstra (32:52):
Well, I mean, we had 12, 12 opportunities to
get in, with teams losing, andall of them didn't go our way.
So you know, that night I wasat peace with it.
Yeah, and there's part of methat wishes I could relive that
game, just to know it was mylast, because I didn't know at
the time that it would be mylast.
That's part of it, man.
(33:13):
So that sucks.
But um, yo, I'm at peace withit because not a lot of people
say that they can like that theywon their last high school game
and I think that's forespecially for the younger guys
on that team that we were tryingto help build up, build their
culture.
I think that was really goodfor them going into last year.
Bill Kennedy (33:36):
For sure, yeah, and you still have some
connections to the current team,right?
Cooper Terpstra (33:44):
Obviously, you and Connor Knapp are pretty
close.
Yeah, he's one of my bestfriends.
Bill Kennedy (33:47):
What are you expecting from the Panthers this
fall?
Cooper Terpstra (33:51):
You know I don't know yet.
Okay, I I'm very I will tellyou this I'm so confident in
coach Collins and his coachingstaff, though, Um, he came in
here with nothing.
Turn it into something.
So I think that we're going tobe good.
I think that this is going tobe the best year that coach
(34:12):
Collins has had here.
But I think that this is goingto be the best year that Coach
Collins has had here, but I mean, you guys know it all depends
on the OK Red.
Rodney Vellinga (34:18):
The OK Red, it's the gauntlet.
Cooper Terpstra (34:20):
It's tough but I think with their skill guys
especially, they're probablygoing to have the most speed in
the OK Red and Elijah Reynoldslike he's something else.
Bill Kennedy (34:33):
He's probably our next Big Ten type player.
Cooper Terpstra (34:39):
He's a dude, and Connor too.
Like Connor, has a great arm,great leader.
So I'm excited to see what theycan do.
It's going to be fun.
I've got to go back for theRockford game.
Bill Kennedy (34:49):
Okay.
Cooper Terpstra (34:50):
We all know that.
Bill Kennedy (34:51):
We hate Rockford Well, and we'll be close to you
in week number one because we'reat Grand Ledge.
Cooper Terpstra (34:56):
Yeah, I don't know.
Bill Kennedy (34:58):
Are you guys playing the?
Cooper Terpstra (34:58):
29th of.
Bill Kennedy (34:59):
August.
We're playing Thursday of thatfirst week.
Cooper Terpstra (35:02):
Okay.
Oh, that's right because youplay Friday night.
Bill Kennedy (35:06):
We play Friday.
Rodney Vellinga (35:08):
So, coop, that being said, your last game
against Jenison has been thelast football game you've played
.
Yeah, that is mind-boggling tome.
That's October of 2022.
Cooper Terpstra (35:22):
Yeah, yeah, last year.
I was itching man, especiallyin those games that we were
winning.
I was like just put me in for acouple snaps man.
Rodney Vellinga (35:33):
I'm right here, yeah but I get it.
Cooper Terpstra (35:35):
I mean, none of the other freshmen played last
year and um obviously have toearn your spot.
So I think the first, the firstgame, um against fau, and then
when we play prairie view a&m inb College, I think I'll get in.
I'm running too deep right now,so we'll see, can you?
Rodney Vellinga (35:57):
explain what too deep means to the
non-football listener.
Cooper Terpstra (36:00):
Yeah, so I'm second string, so it doesn't
necessarily mean that if thecenter goes down that I'm going
to be starting, but I'm like inthe top ten guys.
So especially for center, I'mnumber two.
But I mean there's other dudesthat could play center.
But yeah, I think thateventually I'll be able to get a
(36:24):
couple snaps this year, whichwill be pretty cool.
I mean, it's something I'vealways dreamed about.
Bill Kennedy (36:29):
Yeah.
Rodney Vellinga (36:31):
Your coach came .
Bill shared this with me lastweek.
Maybe you can speak to this,but I know you're working out
here and you talked with bill.
Uh, coach smith came up andsaid something to you that had a
bit of an impact on you.
Do you remember what that was?
Bill Kennedy (36:44):
what you told bill you're talking to me a little
bit about, uh, as the season ormaybe one of your workouts
spring ball maybe it was endingand he kind of called you in and
was talking to you about beinga walk-on.
This isn't really normal for awalk-on to be where you are.
Cooper Terpstra (37:01):
Yeah.
So he had a sheet of his notesfrom the meeting with Coach M,
my online coach, and he kind ofjust was going over it and read
exactly what it said.
He just said that I was toodeep and that I would be
traveling.
And he kind of looks up andhe's like whoa, and he's like
(37:25):
it's pretty cool that you'rewalking and you can do this your
second year.
So that was really cool to me.
That stuck out Especially.
You know, the part that sticksout to me too is that he would
take his time to maybe spendbecause not all walk-ons are
great, I mean, and I'm nowherenear great, but, um, like it,
just it's really cool to me thathe spends time with dudes that
(37:48):
are not on scholarship becausehe wants to know everybody's
opinion.
With our old staff it wasn'tlike that at all.
They didn't shoo us off, butyeah, with Coach Smith he puts
time in everybody.
Rodney Vellinga (38:00):
Yeah, I think him being a walk-on at Oregon
State back in the late 90s.
I mean, he knows what you'regoing through.
Cooper Terpstra (38:09):
Yeah, literally the first thing he said.
He said I was a walk-on onmyself and I promised my coach,
since he gave me an opportunity,that I would give every single
walk on an opportunity.
So he goes I don't care ifyou're a walk, I don't care if
you're in scholarship, the best22 dudes are gonna play there
you go.
Rodney Vellinga (38:26):
Yeah, that's a lot of incentive and like not
that you don't already have ityeah um you uh end up playing in
the Maryland Terrapins thisyear.
I took a look at that schedule.
Somebody in this room is a bigMaryland.
Bill Kennedy (38:38):
Terrapin fan.
Oh yeah, you got to go to theSnake Pit.
It's called the Snake Pit.
Well, college Park, collegePark, that's just.
You know, we like to call itthe Snake Pit.
Rodney Vellinga (38:49):
So where is the Bill Kennedy?
What are you going to?
Cheer for a coop to get intothe game, have the best game of
his life, but the terrapins pullit out by one no, I think you
know terps up big second halfand coop gets some run.
Bill Kennedy (39:04):
I mean it's, that's the ideal you know, but
my but my wife is a spartan so Ithat is definitely a weekend
where we have the house divided.
We call it the dog collar gameat my house because our dog
depending on who wins the game,that's the schools.
So he's wearing a Maryland.
He's wearing a Michigan Stateright now because State beat
(39:25):
Maryland during basketballseason.
Cooper Terpstra (39:27):
It's always football and basketball.
Bill Kennedy (39:30):
I keep trying to get her to let me add lacrosse
into the mix, and she just won'tgo for it.
Rodney Vellinga (39:36):
Yeah, that East Coast lacrosse.
Cooper Terpstra (39:38):
That would be unfair.
It would be unfair.
Bill Kennedy (39:40):
That's hilarious.
But yeah, my dad was a 40-plusyear season ticket holder for
the.
University of Maryland, sothat's the place I've seen more
games than any place on earth.
Actually, the first timeMichigan State went to Maryland,
my wife and I went down.
So yeah, Go Sparty, but exceptfor week two.
Cooper Terpstra (40:03):
I'm excited too .
That'll be fun.
I'm excited to go out there.
I mean, I've been to theairport in Baltimore, but that's
about it.
Rodney Vellinga (40:11):
Yeah, you get to travel this year.
I mean, you won't have thoseFriday nights available to come
back which we get, but you'regoing to be on the road.
I know you've got some games onthe West Coast too, right, yeah
.
Cooper Terpstra (40:21):
Oregon Knock on wood.
I'm traveling.
Rodney Vellinga (40:24):
Stay healthy during camp.
Cooper Terpstra (40:26):
Yeah, I mean Oregon will be sweet.
That's something I'm reallylooking forward to, so I got to
see a game.
Bill Kennedy (40:33):
I lived in eugene for a little bit actually when
coach smith was the quarterbackat oregon state, um.
So I got to see a game atottson, um, and I also got to
see a game at husky stadium inseattle, um both unbelievable
venues.
That's the part I think ofbeing a big time college
football player I'm alwaysjealous of is the opportunities
(40:53):
to go into all of those awaystadiums, and some of the best
venues in the history of collegefootball are in the Big Ten.
I've been to a lot of them overthe years.
Cooper Terpstra (41:06):
It will be pretty cool.
I'm really excited for that.
Rodney Vellinga (41:09):
Well, this has been great, but I do want to get
to one more thing that's reallyimportant to me, and it's your
golf game this summer.
Can you tell me a little bitabout that?
Cooper Terpstra (41:17):
Yeah, I mean I've I've gotten down to a lot
lower handicap, so I would uh, Imean I would always lose my dad
.
I would.
I would be beating him by astroke or two, going into the
sixth or seventh hole, and thenI would just have a couple
eights and then he'd beat meevery time.
So I took it upon myself thissummer to go golfing a lot and
(41:40):
it's helped a lot.
So finally figured out how tohit my irons a little bit, my
driver's going straighter, yeah,I mean my handicap's at 11 or
12 right now.
Rodney Vellinga (41:50):
Okay, that's impressive.
Cooper Terpstra (41:52):
It's hard to turn around, though it's hard to
get through the ball, the bigbody.
Bill Kennedy (42:00):
A lot of stuff to move there.
Rodney Vellinga (42:02):
Have you been able to take down Big Jim?
I have.
Cooper Terpstra (42:05):
I've been cooking him, man.
I beat him by 10 strokes lasttime we played.
Rodney Vellinga (42:10):
Sorry, jim Terpster, we had to talk about
some golf.
Cooper Terpstra (42:13):
Sorry to do it to you.
Sorry, Dad.
Rodney Vellinga (42:17):
Alright.
Well, this has been absolutelyfantastic.
This is our first ever episodeof the 29-1, our first ever
guest Michigan State offensivelineman Cooper Terpstra.
He's loved by all and it's beenreally great to sit down with
you, man.
Cooper Terpstra (42:31):
Yeah, yeah.
Well, thank you guys so muchfor having me.
Rodney Vellinga (42:33):
It's, it's been a really good time, absolutely
anytime, my man all right, we'llsee you out in east lansing at
spartan stadium.
Let's do it all right.
Thanks, man yeah sweet Thankyou.
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