Illinois State linebacker Ben Cooper (38) has opened plenty of eyes this season – including those of opposing teams – with his play on kickoff coverage for the Redbirds. (Photo by GoRedbirds.com)
By Barry Bottino
Watch any Illinois State kickoff play, and you’ll likely see No. 38 flash by.
That’s redshirt freshman linebacker Ben Cooper, who has made enough memorable plays that opponents have taken notice, as well.
“He’s showing up because he can run and he plays with some violence, which you need on kickoffs,” said Kye Stewart, ISU’s defensive assistant head coach and outside linebackers coach, who also handles co-special teams duties. “He’s having to take on double teams because other teams kind of picked up on him getting down the field and making plays.
“That’s the biggest compliment you can get,” Stewart said. “If teams are having to focus on you and double team you, that means you’re doing something right.”
Cooper, who has seven tackles this season, approached special teams as a way to impact games on a team with multiple veteran linebackers.
“Being a young guy, I’m just trying to find ways to get on the field,” said Cooper, who will try to help ISU win a national title Jan. 5 in Nashville against Montana State. “That’s me wanting to go out there and put my best foot forward and help us win. It’s just throwing my body around and trying to make a play.”
Cooper has shown off his physical skills in the process, along with his mental preparation.
“College is different,” said Cooper, who was a three-year varsity starter at Maine West High School in northwest suburban Des Plaines. “It’s not all about being a better athlete. It’s how are teams blocking me? How can I use my peripheral (vision) to see who’s coming to get me?”
Eluding blockers has become a strong point for Cooper, but he also eluded the preferred sport in his household growing up.
His mother, Joy, played volleyball at UIC while his father, Chris, played the sport at Ball State.
Chris Cooper, who grew up in Canada, has coached for more than two decades at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook. In 2023, he was inducted into the Illinois Volleyball Coaches Association Hall of Fame.
“They love it,” Ben Cooper said. “They’ve both been around it for 30 years. My dad played Canadian Junior Olympic volleyball.”
Growing up, Chris Cooper would take a two- to three-hour daily train ride “back and forth to practices in Toronto,” Ben Cooper said.
The younger Cooper tried the sport in middle school, but he chose football and baseball instead during high school.
“I was never in love with it,” he said. “I loved the physical aspect (of football).”
As his physicality has been on display this fall, Cooper’s success could create a familiar path with the Redbirds.
“We always talk about guys who are good special teams players early in their career,” Stewart said. “They usually end up being pretty good offensive or defensive players.”
Barry Bottino is a co-founder of Prairie State Pigskin and a 19-year veteran of three Illinois newspapers. He has covered college athletics since 1995.
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