Cooking Again

You never know what you have until it’s gone.

For senior wide receiver Mike Cook, these words reflect an injury-riddled junior football season.

But at last, in his penultimate season, Cook seems to be hitting his stride and making the most of the time he has left. Before he could truly excel on the field, though, the Harvard standout had to endure a number of setbacks.

Cook’s biggest challenge came last year during preseason when he tore his pectoral muscle.

“It was a really tough break when he blew out his pec,” Harvard coach Tim Murphy says. “He knew that was a six-month rehab, significant surgery. But he’s one of those kids that’s very committed.”

Although he missed the entire season due to the long recovery, Cook continued to attend practices in support of his team. Still, watching his teammates on the field only intensified his desire to get back on the gridiron.

“It was exciting to see everyone play and win, but it definitely took the wind out of my sail not being able to play,” he says.

And despite the grueling recovery, Cook never accepted his absence from the field as an excuse to let his responsibility to his teammates fall by the wayside.

Confined to a sling, Cook spent his rehab working with a physical therapist to maintain his fitness during a medical redshirt that will allow him to be eligible to play again for Harvard next year.

Since his return to the field, Cook has followed through on his commitment to his friends and teammates, providing a key addition to the Crimson’s revamped passing game, led by new QB junior Collier Winters. Cook has 10 catches for 109 yards so far this season, along with a more creative role as the passer on a double-reverse—and he has loved every minute of it.

“Being out that whole season really put into perspective...how much I love to play,” he explains. “As soon as you lose it, you really realize how much you like it.”

But recovering from a torn muscle has not been the only factor to shake up Cook’s relationship with the team. The senior originally joined Harvard as a quarterback—the position he played throughout high school. But sophomore year, he was converted into a wide receiver.

The former field general’s mind wanders back to freshman year as Cook recounts one conversation he had with Murphy.

“We had Chris Pizzotti [’08-’09] and Liam O’Hagan [’08-’09] for at least two more seasons, it seemed like, so I remember going in and talking about making a contribution as soon as possible, and I thought that I could play receiver,” Cook recalls. “I proposed the idea, and he thought that it would be a good idea, so we tried it out coming into spring practice and it seemed to fit.”

Cook’s previous experience as a play-caller helped in his transition.

“I already knew the offense from playing quarterback,” Cook says. “And it helped because I knew what the quarterbacks would be looking for as far as getting open and scrambling, so there was a lot of stuff that was very conducive to playing quarterback and switching to receiver.”

And sure enough, his previous experience paid off. In 2007, Cook—then a sophomore—appeared in nine games for Harvard, logging time as the squad’s fourth receiving option in a deep corps of wideouts.

The newly-minted offensive weapon amassed 23 receptions for 239 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to 11 rushing attempts for 57 yards and another touchdown.

Cook proved himself as a receiver that season, and through the transition process, his teammates recognized his tenacity and dedication to the game.

“He brings a lot of energy all the time,” captain Carl Ehrlich says. “Whether it’s 6 a.m. or in the middle of a game, he’s always focused. He’s a really smart kid and smart football player, and I think it shows on the field.”

Cook credits his coaches and teammates for keeping him motivated during his injuries. They kept him up to speed on practices and plays, and Murphy would always encourage him by telling him to “keep his head up.”

Cook’s dedication and perseverance haven’t gone unnoticed throughout his football career, but along with his skills on the field, it is his character that will be most remembered long after his days as a Harvard wide receiver.

“I think the common denominator, the most important intangible that we look for in our players is mental toughness,” Murphy says. “And that can be obviously translated in a lot of different ways, but if you want to put it down to one, it’s the kind of kids that’ll never give up regardless of what obstacles and adversity they have in their lines. And Mike’s one of those guys.”