Miami WR Cooper Barkate met with the media after today's practice. A transcript of his comments is below:
Q: How has the transition been for you since arriving?
Cooper Barkate: It’s been great. They made it a very easy transition for me. It was definitely a little difficult at first learning the new system, and there are a lot of good players down here, so that took some adjustment. But I’ve loved it—love the people, the place, the coaches. It’s been great.
Q: What was the transfer process like for you, especially entering the portal late and with everything going on involving Darian? How much were you communicating with him during that time?
Cooper Barkate: Me and Darian were definitely talking through it. He was thinking about making the move and wanted to let me know first. Once he did, I was like, yeah, let’s do it. I entered the portal, my aunt helped me get connected after that, and then everything kind of took off. We came down here and things started rolling. It’s been great.
Q: How much has having that prior relationship with Darian helped both of you in this transition?
Cooper Barkate: I think it’s helped both of us a lot. It’s been great having one of my best friends here with me. We already had that connection, so it made things a lot easier.
Q: What stands out about Darian, both on and off the field?
Cooper Barkate: On the field, the biggest thing is how poised he is. He’s always calm and collected, especially in big moments. Obviously, he’s very talented, but that poise stands out. Off the field, he’s really intelligent and just fun to be around. We’re from similar areas in California, so we have similar backgrounds. When we met at Duke, it was seamless, and it’s been the same here.
Q: How different is this program from where you came from, and how big has the adjustment been?
Cooper Barkate: There are definitely some step-ups at a place like this. I’m grateful for my time at Duke and everything it gave me, but I’m glad to be here. I’m excited about the future and focused on this year.
Q: Is there an upgrade in competition in the receiver room?
Cooper Barkate: There are talented guys here, but it’s similar to what I saw before. There’s just a lot of talent everywhere down here.
Q: Is there any joking or trash talk about Duke winning the ACC and Miami making the playoff run?
Cooper Barkate: Not really. When I got here, I joked and told everyone “you’re welcome” and that we’re going to the natty, but that’s about it.
Q: Coming out of high school, you had major offers but chose Harvard. What went into that decision?
Cooper Barkate: My older sister went there and graduated a couple years before me, so that played a big role. I also wanted to go somewhere I might not have had the opportunity to attend without football. My plan was to go there, graduate early, get the education, and then continue pursuing my football goals.
Q: How are the cornerbacks here challenging you in practice?
Cooper Barkate: They’re bigger, faster, stronger, and really long. One of the things I wanted to improve from last year was my physicality, both at the line and downfield. I came to the right place for that because that’s what they do best here. It’s been great for my development.
Q: How would you describe Darian as a leader?
Cooper Barkate: You don’t want to come into a new place and try to do too much right away—you want to earn respect first. He’s done a great job of that. People knew who he was, but he’s shown it and earned respect from his teammates. You’ll see more of his leadership come out over time. It was the same at Duke.
Q: How comfortable is Darian right now in the offense?
Cooper Barkate: It’s hard to put a number on it, but he’s getting more comfortable. He came in and played really well right away, and as he gets more comfortable, you’ll see him continue to step up.
Q: What do you remember about the Under The Radar videos that helped your recruiting?
Cooper Barkate: That really jump-started my recruiting, so I’m very thankful for them. That was during COVID, which was a crazy time, but I enjoyed that whole experience.
Q: You had a 1,000-yard season last year—how much confidence does that give you coming into this season?
Cooper Barkate: It doesn’t really change my mindset. When I left Harvard for Duke, I didn’t know what to expect—I was just trying to earn a spot. I chose Duke for the master’s program in the business school. Same thing here—I have goals, but I’m just focused on being here and contributing alongside the other receivers. Coach Shannon Dawson has done a great job managing all the weapons we have.
Q: What’s it like being part of an offense with so many playmakers?
Cooper Barkate: It’s fun. Even in practice, I’ll run a route and then look back and see someone else make a play—it could be Mali, the running backs, anyone. It’s exciting to be part of that.
Q: What impresses you most about Mali?
Cooper Barkate: His work ethic, for sure. He’s the hardest-working player I’ve ever seen, especially for his age. Coming off the season he had, it would be easy to get complacent, but that’s not the case at all. He’s locked in—getting extra work in after practice, paying attention to detail in meetings and film. He’s a real leader for the team.
