Harper Murray and John Cook? Now that is a combination that is far beyond X’s and O’s. Just a month ago, after Cook bid his final adieu to Nebraska, and with Dani Busboom Kelly taking over the helm, Harper ensured that his exit had one last flourish. During the grand finale at the Bob Devaney Center in February, she did what she does best—persuaded Cook to make one more TikTok. But, as always, he had to add his own flair to it. “Now Harper can’t force me into TikToks anymore,” he wrote in the caption, which, of course, showed that retirement would not keep him from making a good joke.

This TikTok saga wasn’t just a one-time thing—it was a whole era. In the year 2024, Nebraska sealed a deal with Seager, and Cook received the shock of his life. As it turns out, he had a TikTok account and a rather popular one at that, with more than 151,000 views! But who was the mastermind? No surprises there. “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.” And now, Nebraska’s Harper Murray spills the tea on how she turned John Cook into a chill, TikTok-famous coaching legend.

When Harper Murray sat down with Hurrdat Sports, the host couldn’t help but point out the obvious—she had done the impossible. “You took a coach that no one could get out of his shell, and you created someone that people were able to relate a little bit more to.” But looking back, it felt pretty special. Somehow, she had taken this old-school, tough-as-nails coach and got him to enjoy the game with a smile just a little more. That’s next-level influence right there.

Harper couldn’t help but laugh. “Yeah, well, the thing that we always try and remember is like…he’s a grandpa.” And not just any grandpa—the kind who rolls into practice with his little granddaughter and suddenly turns into the softest guy ever. But don’t get it twisted. One second, he’s making them so mad and yelling like it’s his full-time job, and the next, they’re all reminding themselves, “he’s just an old man, he’s gonna be grumpy sometimes.”

And then came the TikTok moment. No permission, no warning—she just grabbed his phone and made it happen. He’d always claim, “I don’t even have the app”—but guess what? He totally did. “I was like, no, you have the app, it’s just not on your home screen.” And even though he acted like it was no big deal, she knew the truth. “He definitely enjoyed it more than he acted like he did.”

That little moment of fun? It did more than just give the internet a new favorite coach—it brought the whole team closer. “You guys have seen it. He’s stone cold when he’s on the sideline. He doesn’t show emotion, and if he does, it’s probably anger,” added Murray. But for once, they got to see a different side of him. A side that laughed, played along, and maybe, just maybe, let his guard down. And that? That made this past season hit different.

As John Cook decided to step down from the game, his primary concern was not the strategies, recruits, or the next phase–he was more concerned about Harper Murray. Lincoln Arneal asked him the big question in early February, asking how he informed his team. “What was your biggest worry going into that meeting?” And without any delay, Cook explained it all: “My biggest worry was Harper.”

To Murray, Cook wasn’t just a coach, he was a father figure. So, he knew this would affect her the most and so, when the entire squad was not around, he took time to look for her one hour before the team briefing so that she could process before the others did. And of course, even Harper Murray had some things to say to Cook as he was about to leave.

Harper Murray gets emotional over Cook’s retirement!

When John Cook decided to retire, Harper Murray did not simply wish him well and move on—she wanted to tell him how she felt. “I have the utmost love and respect for this man, and it’s truly almost impossible to put into words how much he means to me,” she wrote, knowing that no caption could ever sum up what he meant to her. For Harper, Cook was not only the one who was charting out strategies on the court, he was the one who showed her the path through the darkest times of life when she could not find the light.

“Never in a million years would I have thought that our relationship would have such a big impact on my life,” she said, thinking of how he stood by her when she felt abandoned by everyone. “He stuck by my side and was there for me when I felt like no one else was, and he refused to give up on me even when I made it nearly impossible not to.” If ever there was a face associated with the concept of loyalty, then the face you are likely to see is that of Coach Cook. But here is the thing about playing under a legend—you begin to understand it is something far greater than who you are.

“When you play for a coach like John, you come to realize that you are playing and working for something way bigger than yourself,” Harper wrote, knowing full well that the legacy he built wasn’t just about wins and trophies—it was about heart, grit, and something unshakable. “John would run through a wall for me, and I would do the same for him.” And while he might not be courtside anymore, that fire he lit? It’s only getting stronger.