New assistant coach hopes to make immediate impact

Heading into his fourth year as the head coach of the Montana State University-Northern football program, Andrew Rolin is looking to lead the Lights to success this season. In order to do that, he will need all the help he can get, such as his new assistant coach Van Cooper Jr.

Cooper will serve as the team's special teams coordinator and safeties coach this season after coaching at Arizona high schools for the past ten years. With the University of Montana alumni back in the state, Rolin believes he will make a good addition to his coaching staff.

"It's nice to have him back in Montana," Rolin said. "He's been in Arizona the past ten years coaching and it's fun to have him back up here and being a part of this conference."

Cooper played for the Griz from 2004-2007 as a safety, but he made his biggest impact on special teams as he won the team award for Outstanding Special Teams Player in 2005. As he transitioned into coaching collegiate football, he believed MSU-N would be an opportunity to get his foot in the door.

In his first year with the Lights, Cooper has enjoyed getting to know his safety Hunter Riley and other defensive backs such as Joshua Rose, Trayvion Rainey, Isaiah Paul, Noah Mitchell and Johkyreian Shealey. In his first few weeks with the team, Cooper has focused on establishing communication between the players.

"It's been fun. Defensive backs all have their own personalities. I think they'll come around as far as trusting each other as far as playing together," Cooper said. "One thing we've been focusing on with our guys is communication with the linebackers and other defensive backs on the team."

As the team's new special teams coordinator, he will be tasked with getting the Lights' kickoffs, punts and punt returns in order to help out the team's offense and defense as much as possible. As he gets adjusted to the program, he knows he will need the help of Rolin as well as cornerbacks coach David Tolbert and defensive coordinator Mike Van Diest. With their assistance, he believes the unit can reach new heights this season.

"My goal is to have these guys be one of the top in the nation," Cooper said. "It's one step at a time. With the help of Coach Rolin, Coach Tolbert and Coach Van Diest, I think we could get that accomplished but it's going to take a lot of work from us in the players. Coming together and making that stuff happen."

As Cooper focuses on the safeties and special teams for the Lights during this camp, Rolin will be looking to get his offense for their season opener against College of Idaho on Aug. 28. Through the first few weeks of camp, Rolin has had to find his best option out of four quarterbacks competing for the starting nod. After evaluating his players, he decided on naming the transfer quarterback Kaymen Cureton their starter moving forward.

"He's done a nice job leading and coming in as a transfer to learn our offense as quickly as he did this summer," Rolin said. "It's one thing to learn it on the whiteboard and it's another thing to come out and apply it on the field and be able to execute and make plays which he does so I'm excited about him."

As Cureton secures the starting position, Devonte Armstrong will back him up as the team's No. 2 quarterback. Cureton's other two competitors for the starting nod heading into camp, Brenden Medina and Oakley Kopp, have switched positions. This past week, Medina switched to tight end, and earlier in the camp, Kopp converted to safety.

On Tuesday's practice at Lights Stadium, Rolin also saw both the offense and defense perform well. With just 10 days until their season opener, he likes where his team is at.

"Good back and forth. Offense started really fast, defense finished really fast. So good to see competition," Rolin said. "Our guys are competing. Great energy, great enthusiasm and our technique and assignments are getting pretty sharp right now. I'm excited about where we are at right now."