Jon Cooper joined the Western Carolina football coaching staff as the offensive line coach in the days prior to the 2021 fall season.
A four-year starter along the offensive line at Oklahoma and a four-year NFL veteran, Cooper comes to Cullowhee having spent the 2020 season as the tight ends coach at Arkansas. Under his guidance, former walk-on TE Blake Kern recorded a career-best 201 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while freshman TE Hudson Henry earned a spot on the All-SEC Freshman team.
Before coaching at Arkansas, Cooper coached at Central Florida where he coached the Knights’ tight ends for two seasons. During his two years in Orlando, the Knights went an impressive 22-4 including a 2018 American Athletic Conference championship, an undefeated regular season, a trip to the 2019 Fiesta Bowl and a spot in the final Associated Press poll (No. 11).
UCF’s offense was one of the most productive in the nation each of Cooper’s two seasons. The 2019 offense finished the regular season in the top 10 nationally in total offense (2nd – 540.5 ypg), scoring (5th – 43.4 ppg) and passing yards (8th – 316.7 ypg). The Knights’ total offense set a school record and marked the second straight year under head coach Josh Heupel the UCF offense gained more than 500 yards per game.
In 2018, the Knights scored 43.2 points per game, ranking sixth in the nation, and gained 522.7 yards per game to finish the season ranked fifth in the country. The UCF ground game set a program-best with 265.2 yards per game to finish eighth in the nation.
Senior Michael Colubiale led the way for Cooper’s tight ends with 21 catches and three touchdowns to earn All-American Athletic honorable mention status in 2018.
Cooper also had coaching stops at Missouri for two seasons and Utah State as a graduate assistant. At Mizzou, he worked as an offensive analyst with then-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel. The Tigers’ offense exploded to lead the Southeastern Conference in yards per game in 2017 (502.2 ypg) and points per game (37.5 ppg), while ranking second in passing yards (308.6 ypg).
In his final season in Columbia, Cooper helped the offensive line finish the year ranked eighth nationally in total offense, fifth in sacks allowed (13.0), 14th in scoring offense and passing yards, 18th in first downs (23.4 per game) and 16th in red zone offense (90.6% scoring).
In his lone season with the Utah State Aggies in 2015, the offense climbed 21 spots nationally in scoring offense, despite losing its starting quarterback Chuckie Keeton to injury.
Cooper was a four-year starter at center for Oklahoma, earning Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in his senior season in 2008 while blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. During his playing days with the Sooners, he helped lead Oklahoma to a 42-12 overall record and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game in his final season, while garnering two All-Big 12 selections and All-America honors as a senior.
Following his graduation, Cooper spent four seasons in the NFL, playing 13 games during his first three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and made his first career start against the Dallas Cowboys at center. He originally joined the Vikings in 2009 as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma before signing with the Tennessee Titans in 2012.
Cooper began his coaching career at his alma mater, Oklahoma, as a graduate assistant coach. He spent two seasons with the Sooners while the program went 19-7, including 45-31 victory over Alabama in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.
Originally from Fort Collins, Colorado, Cooper graduated from Oklahoma in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in human relations. He and his wife, Julia, have a son, Cage, and a daughter, Carter.
