Quick Chat with Cooper Barnum

As the son of a Division-I head coach, Montana linebacker Cooper Barnum has been around football his whole life.

Not just any head coach though, as the son of in-conference rival Portland State coach Bruce Barnum, Cooper starts his senior season at UM on Saturday with as unique a perspective on football – Big Sky football specifically – as anyone to don the maroon and silver.

It's a perspective that has served him well during a winding collegiate career that started on a baseball diamond, then switched sports to playing safety on the gridiron, and has now earned him a starting linebacker job at #LinebackerU.

You read that right. Just three years ago one of Montana's starting linebackers was a sophomore right-handed pitcher at Washington State when the football bug bit, and bit hard. That led to a walk-on spot as a safety in Missoula, and the rest, as they say, is history.

After logging reps in seven games as a special-teamer and backup DB in 2022, Barnum made the move to linebacker in '23. He then bulked up in the weight room and worked his way into the rotation, surrounded by veteran seniors on a championship-caliber defense, but earning more playing time as the year went on to finish with 14 tackles and his first career sack against Delaware in the playoffs.

He's now forever part of a proud tradition of excellence in a position group that has produced some of Montana's all-time greats.

Barnum and the Griz are hoping to make some more history this season after a year where UM rolled out one of the most stifling defenses in program history.

He sat down with GoGriz.com ahead of the season opener against Missouri State for a Quick Chat to talk football, family, and fun.

Thanks for joining us Coop. Montana has had a long line of great 'backers over the years. What's it like to earn the starting job for the Griz as we get ready for week one?

"I'm excited. Starting is pretty cool, but it doesn't mean too much in this program because we're going to have five linebackers on the field and everybody's going to get a lot of reps, but it's awesome."

You took quite the circuitous route to playing linebacker at Montana after pitching for the Cougs for two years out of high school. What drew you to baseball first, then what was that decision like to come back to football?

"Washington State I thought was the best place for my baseball career. My brother was also on the team there, so that was a cool experience. I started to miss football though, so I called up my pops and said "aye, I want to get back in the game." He said, "alright, let's go." I was lucky enough to get a walk-on spot here that coming fall, and it took off from there. So, I'm glad to be back in football."

Well, let's talk about your dad for a bit. It's not every guy who has a head coach for a rival team sitting across from him at the Thanksgiving table. What's it like having a guy like that in your corner? Someone to swap ideas and learn football from as your dad?"

"Like this week, we were bouncing some X's and O's off each other and talking about what we have coming up. He gives me tips here and there on how I can execute better and be better, but when he's across the sideline it's a little different. That game week when we play Portland State we don't talk much, or when we do its brief, but when that game ends it's all love. It's fun to compete with him across the sideline."

Baseball bodies are much different than football bodies, especially as a pitcher. What was that like coming back to football and playing safety?

"Coach Hauck started me off at safety, and I said coach, I might be a little too slow for that (laughs). But I was there one year, then I was able to put on weight in the offseason and got moved down to linebacker, which I was very happy about. Now I don't have to guard those fast receivers."

Well now you're a starter in a linebacking group that's got a ton of great players surrounding you. What's that room looking like as we head into week one?

"We have a lot of tackles to replace from last year with Braxton (Hill), Levi (Janacaro), and (Tyler) Flink out now, but we had a great fall camp. We're ready to go, and we have a lot of talent there."

How was camp overall? It's your last one (in college anyway), how'd it go for both you and the 'backers?

It was really good. I think our team is ready. I think the defense is ready, the linebackers specifically are dialed in with Coach Coop (Roger Cooper). Me personally, it was a good camp. It was a grind as usual, but that's what makes it so good here."

Thanks for the time, Coop. I'm sure your old man will be watching Saturday night after the Vikings play the Cougs.

University of Montana Athletics

Players Mentioned

Cooper Barnum

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