Just about the most grounded, most loaded compliment for a redshirt freshman new to his position — “college football isn’t interested in 5-foot-11, 179-pound defensive ends” — is that he wants to be somebody. Despite inexperience in college and in a new spot, it means the player gets it and understands not just what he has to do, but that he can do it.

This is what safeties caoch Steve Dunlap has to say about Darwin Cook, the head-turning defensive back from Cleveland’s Shaw High (also gave WVU Will Thomas). For now, Cook is a backup to Sidney Glover, who has moved from spur to bandit, which not only makes themost of Glover’s talents, but creates a way to get Terence Garvin on the field at spur. Cook being considered the future at bandit, the somebody he wants to be is Glover — and he’s taking the task seriously.

“I model myself after Sidney,” he explained, referring to hard-hitting Sidney Glover, the senior starter at the position. “They told me to watch him and do what he does. Well, he likes karaoke. Now I’m doing it just like him.”