When it comes to the bond between a team’s coach and its athletes, it’s the little things that matter more than the big wins. How a coach treats the athletes often makes or breaks a team long before they take to the court. John Cook excelled in that art. From the volleyball court to social media, Cook had unmatched chemistry with his pupils, especially Harper Murray.

Despite looking like the most unlikely candidate, 68-year-old John Cook became a viral TikTok sensation. The man amassed nearly 110,000 followers. Unfortunately, that ended when Cook said goodbye to Nebraska and coaching on January 30th. He even bid adieu to TikTok, jokingly stating, “Harper can’t force me into TikToks anymore,” in the caption. Thankfully, the outside hitter may have just found the perfect replacement.

Now, over a month after taking over as the new head coach of Nebraska, Harper Murray “Finally got DBK in a TikTok,” featuring Andi Jackson. Dani Busboom Kelly, AKA DBK, shared the screen with Murray and her teammate Andi Jackson for the first time. What’s the best part? The trio seemed to have a blast dancing to Big Fun from Heathers: The Musical.

In fact, they had so much, none of them could even keep a straight face the whole time. Yet, as the 20-year-old Husker hinted, that was the least hilarious take they could come up with. “Only took a few tries [laughing emojis],” wrote the outside hitter, commented on her own post with a hefty dose of sarcasm. Yet, the question is: Did it live up to the videos with John Cook?

Well, DBK’s new role is fans approved. Huskers graduate-turned-rookie pro, Merritt Beason loved the trio. “I’m obsessed,” commented the Atlanta Vibe star, speaking for every fan in the comments. Andi Jackson also commended Coach Kelly for her TikTok skills. “Dani’s professional,” Harper Murray’s teammate gushed. However, there’s still a long way to go before DBK can rival John Cook.

How Harper Murray created a TikTok star out of John Cook

There’s good reason why John Cook was among the least of people you’d think could become famous on social media platforms like TikTok. While the former Nebraska Huskers head had no dearth of dry humor, social media fame was the last thing he was looking for after spending over two decades as the program’s head coach. So the question rightfully poses itself: How has he earned over 100,000 followers?

Well, the answer to this is one of his most favorite pupils, Harper Murray. As a huge social media sensation herself, Murray has over 398,000 followers on TikTok alone. Add Instagram to the equation and you’re looking at well over half a million followers. And she did a lot more than simply appear on John Cook’s video. The Huskers volleyball star was the mastermind behind Cook’s TikTok profile when he was active.

“Apparently Harper manages my TikTok account. I didn’t even know I had TikTok on my phone. They grabbed my phone and then TikTok happened. …But hey, if they like it, I like it,” John Cook said about how he became TikTok famous. However, it will be unfair to put all the credit on Murray’s name. After all, Cook showed genuine interest in making these videos, and that’s exactly why the fans hit the follow button.

It was also John Cook’s nature of embracing change and adapting to the times that helped him succeed. “Even at his point in his career, he was still willing to adapt and to change,” Merritt Beason said in a recent interview. And while the volleyball star said it in the context of Cook conforming to novel coaching practices, it also extended to the little things like trying TikTok just because Harper Murray and the others love it. It’s as they say: The little things go on to matter the most.