It’s not magic…it’s science! The words of Bill Nye the Science guy as part of his popular TV series echoes the belief of Muskogee senior Kyron Cope about his favorite classroom subject and his desire to unleash the inner beast whenever he’s on the football field for the Muskogee Roughers.
“I strive every day to perfect what I do to make myself a better player, a better teammate, a better student,” said the Roughers defensive end who last season came into his own totaling 64 tackles and who will play the “Echo” position in the Muskogee defense.
“I hope that after contact with me, there’s an echo ringing in the opponent’s ear,” chuckled Cope.
Cope will wear the number -11 jersey this year as a compliment to his favorite players Micah Parsons (Dallas Cowboys) and Abdul Carter (NY Giants).
“On my time, I enjoy extra reps in the weight room working to improve my strength, my bend and my speed to become more explosive off the ball,” said Cope, who is acknowledged by teammates and coaches as the strongest player on the Muskogee roster after posting personal bests with lifts of 515 pounds in squats, 365 on the bench and a power clean of 315 pounds.
One look at the 6-foot-2, 225-pound chiseled body of Cope as well as his stats, shows why college recruiters are hoping to lure the mild mannered and confident Cope to the next level. Oklahoma State, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, Washington and Tulsa are among those showing interest in Cope thus far.
For now, Cope sees his role in Muskogee’s path to chase a state championship in 2025 as a team leader.
“Winning starts now not in August or throughout the season,” Cope said with a look of confidence and determination. “I know that it’s the players that will lead a team to a championship and as a senior it’s my responsibility to set the example in everything I do for others to follow. I want my legacy to be having no regrets by giving my all and through the results of hard work from every player wearing the Roughers uniform, we be able to lift the gold ball trophy in December.”