Sometimes a scheme in practice may not get explained quite like a coach imagined.

It takes a talented and passionate player to understand what the idea is meant to produce.

“It’s funny, we’ll do drills sometimes and I’ll be coaching them up on it and it might not be quite right,” Ohio State wide receivers coach Brian Hartline said. “But then he’ll run out there and do it, and it’s perfect.”

Hartline is referring to freshman wide receiver Mookie Cooper, who was a four-star recruit out of St. Louis, Missouri.

Cooper committed to Ohio State on July 8, 2019, prior to beginning his senior year of high school. But he didn't play a down that fall.

Cooper was ruled ineligible to play due to transfer guidelines as the prep student looked to transfer from Trinity Catholic to Pattonville.

Such a ruling may devastate a player and cause them to stray from the path, perhaps even lose a step on the field. But after weathering the storms and staying headstrong, Hartline believes Cooper is someone special.

“His natural ability to just play football and fill space,” Hartline said. “He does things that you really can’t even coach.

“I think Mookie is much further along than I, frankly, anticipated.”

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Chris Olave and Garrett Wilson are two experienced receivers in the position group. Being surrounded by two five-star freshmen in Julian Fleming and Jaxon Smith-Njigba, as well as four-star Gee Scott Jr., may lead some to overlook Cooper on paper.

But Hartline emphasized each player takes different paths to success, and comparison only fogs up the view.

“The biggest thing I try to have a conversation about with these athletes is that it’s okay to share goals, but don’t think you’re going to share paths," Hartline said. "Different guys need different things. To sit around and compare yourself to your peers doesn’t help you. It’s not about what they’re doing, it's about what you’re doing.”

While spring practices were canceled, Hartline also said the springtime allowed the team to “get prepared in a different light.” He said the team spent a lot of time on Zoom and “tried to capitalize and maximize being apart.”

Fellow St. Louis native and Buckeyes wide receiver Jameson Williams has seen Cooper's talent long before Ohio State.

Williams said the two "grew up together" and have known each other since they were children, so they have progressed similarly.

“We went to different high schools, so I didn’t see him that much in high school," Williams said. "When he got to Ohio State, it was a lot of growth with Mookie, he’s grown a lot. It was the same thing with me."

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From missing a full season of football to losing a spring offseason, Cooper has had his share of obstacles that have led to growth.

But going forward, those obstacles are leading to opportunity.

“At this point, I think we’ve done a really good job to set ourselves up for success," Hartline said. "Now it just comes down to maximizing the opportunities when they come to us.”