Tag: Edgerrin Cooper

Aggies linebacker depth on the upside following spring game performance and key transfer addition

Following a promising spring game performance, the Aggies’ linebacker unit is beginning to flash its depth thanks to a key transfer portal addition.

Questions surrounded Texas A&M’s linebacker unit heading into their spring program, but after a promising performance in the Aggies’ exhibition game, alongside a big addition via the transfer portal, this position has a nice mix of talent to make an impact both now and into the future.

Heading into the Maroon and White spring game, Chris Russell Jr. and Edgerrin Cooper were handed the starting reigns for this unit and that same belief hasn’t changed. Both of these two bring much-needed experience to a position that was lacking depth through spring.

Russell is solid as the Mike linebacker, but he’s arguably better suited when playing on the move and blitzing the opposing quarterback. Cooper has excellent closing speed and can make plays in the open field. However, at 6-3 and 230 lbs, he’s not particularly imposing when it comes to his size, which means he could struggle when taking on bigger blockers.

Enter the true x-factor with the addition of Jurriente Davis, who was ranked as the No. 1 transfer portal LB out of Jackson State. While the Aggies have some very capable starters and promising youth for the future, this unit needed a splash via the transfer portal and they got one with Davis.

As we’ve covered here at Aggies Wire, Davis’s tape shows a player that thrives as an off-the-ball linebacker, primarily at the Will position in the Aggies’ 4-2-5 defensive scheme. He’s equipped to tackle what’s in front of him and provide a solid pass rush when needed thanks to his speed and downhill quickness.

Making the jump from FCS to FBS competition is a significant one, make no mistake about it, so the transition will be key to observe for Davis. I don’t think it’ll be a case of “baptism by fire” as Davis’ talent and experience should make the adjustment a smooth one.

While the trio of Russell, Cooper, and Davis shows promise for the Maroon and White in the near term, the Aggies also have a handful of bright prospects that should develop nicely in the future. Second-year Martrell Harris flashed his closing speed in the spring game, while first-year Daymion Sanford is a converted pass rusher who has length and can run.

Freshman Taurean York is a little undersized when it comes to mass (217 lbs for now), but he should easily bulk up in due time. Additionally, he has a nice grasp of the defense and he’s proven useful in coverage as one of the bright spots called out by the coaching staff during spring practice.

With still a few days left in the transfer portal it remains to be seen whether any more additions will be made to this unit. If not, then the Aggies have a promising group headlined by veterans that should make an impact this season, followed by some promising talent for the future.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee

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Texas A&M Spring Football 2023: Linebacker position breakdown

As spring football for the Aggies nears its end, we take a look at the linebacker group which is hoping for a rebound performance in 2023.

Spring football for Texas A&M is well underway, which means it’s every fan’s obligation to parse through the depth chart ahead of what will be an important 2023 season. Thankfully, we’ve got you covered by breaking down each positional battle, and up next is taking a look at a vital piece of the defense in the linebacker group.

Last year’s performance from the group can be summed up in just a few words: much to be desired. To their credit, a combination of injuries and poor performance from the interior meant that opposing defenses very much had their way when attacking the second level. Playing a 3-2-6 didn’t make things any easier as they failed to stunt opponents up front or blitz back seven defenders.

Overall it was a tough season for the unit, whether as a result of their own individual performance or a factor of playing in an inconsistent scheme. The Maroon and White, in large part, have two experienced backers in the fold for 2023, which means next season will be the tale of reloading and rebounding from 2022.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the current linebacker group is shaping up for the Aggies:

Returners (2022 season stats)

  • MLB Senior Chris Russell Jr. (12 games, 66 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 defensive touchdown)
  • WLB Redshirt junior Edgerrin Cooper (11 games, 61 total tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery, 5 pass breakups)
  • WLB Sophomore Martrell Harris Jr. (12 games, 7 total tackles, 1 forced fumble)

New additions

  • Freshman Taurean York
  • Freshman Daymion Sanford
  • Freshman Chantz Johnson

There’s no uncertainty around who will be the starters for this unit come fall. The reigns are in the hands of Cooper and Russell, and the Aggies have a potentially athletic playmaker in Harris backing those two up. But as we saw last season, poor performance and a lack of depth, in large part due to injuries, is one of the many issues that plagued this team. That statement rings true for the defense and this unit in particular.

Freshman Taurean York has flashed his upside in spring camp, but he’s a first-year nonetheless and as the Aggie faithful witnessed last season, throwing in your true freshmen into the fire will undoubtedly result in some growing pains. So, where does A&M go from here in addressing these issues?

We’ll likely find out come April 15, which is when the college football transfer window is set to re-open. Jimbo Fisher and the coaching staff should be particularly active in bolstering their roster depth on the defensive side of the ball, and the linebacker unit is no exception.

While the starters look promising on paper and through spring camp, this coming season is too significant for the Maroon and White to go off the hope that injuries don’t creep up once more in 2023.

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee

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Players’ Press conference after Aggie’s defeat UMass

Players’ Press conference after Aggie’s defeat UMass

Here at Aggies Wire, our staff has not been able to write “The Aggie’s defeat (insert team)” since Texas A&M’s 23-21 victory over Arkansas nearly two months ago on Sept. 24th amid their six-game losing streak going into this weekend. On Saturday, that finally changed, as the Aggies finally earned their fourth victory of the season outlasting the now 1-10 UMass Minutemen 20-3, in one of the sloppiest games I myself have witnessed from the maroon and white in quite some time.

So, if you missed the game, which is totally understandable, here’s a brief overview: It was rainy, cold, and just plain gross, while Texas A&M looked about as bad as they’ve looked all season with 3 fumbles on the day (mostly due to the slick conditions) but the offense finally began to show some life, gaining 213 yards on the ground from running backs Amari Daniels and Le’veon Moss, and 404 total yards on the afternoon. Quarterback Conner Weigman didn’t have his best overall game again due to the weather, yet did make some plays in the run game, rushing for over 66 yards on scrambles and designed runs.

On defense, the talent finally outweighed the youth factor, holding the Minutemen to 168 yards on offense with 113 rushing yards, and only 55 yards passing. With over 24 players missing due to injury or suspension, a couple of new freshman defenders made plays late in the game, including linebacker Martrell Harris Jr. (3 tackles, 1 sack) and defensive end Malick Sylla (5 tackles, 1 sack), showing just how deep the historic 2022 class really is.

For the Aggies and Head coach Jimbo Fisher, a win is a win, and with one game remaining in the regular season, the attention has now shifted to the visiting LSU Tigers next Saturday, looking to ruin their playoff hopes.

After the game, Layden Robinson and Edgerrin Cooper spoke to the media to reflect on the win. Here are their most notable quotes on the afternoon.

Players’ Press Conference after Aggies’ loss to Florida

Layden Robinson and Edgerrin Cooper speak to the media after the Aggies’ 41-28 loss to the Florida Gators

The Aggies have now lost 5 games in a row for the first time since the 1980 season under head coach Jimbo Fisher in year five of his tenure, and it really couldn’t have been any uglier.

After falling to the Florida Gators 41-28 on Saturday afternoon to reach 3-6, and 1-5 in the SEC, the general feeling among the Aggie fan base is that this season may be cursed, especially after the pre-game news surrounding an outbreak of the flu virus in the Texas A&M locker room this week that ultimately sidelined 6 players and 3 starters, including quarterback Conner Weigman.

At the start of the game after Florida’s first possession resulted in a field goal, the Aggie offense led by battle-tested quarterback Haynes King and star running back Devon Achane instantly marched down the field after a 65-yard run by Achane on the first play, later resulting in a 5-yard touchdown run from the speedster to take a 7-3 lead seemingly transitioning the momentum to the maroon and white. But then came Gator’s quarterback Anthony Richardson, who as we warned this week would likely expose Texas A&M’s porous run defense with his legs, proceeded to do some from start to finish, culminated by a 60-yard run that made us all collectively respect that young man’s ability on the gridiron.

However, King and the offense, including another solid outing from wide receiver Moose Muhammad III, answered nearly every drive from Florida in the form of a 5-yard pass to Achane, where he followed up with a 2-yard touchdown run as the Aggies took a 24-20 lead at the half, which would inevitably be the last score from the offense for the rest of the game.

From the start of the third quarter to the final minutes of the fourth, Florida scored three touchdowns while forcing two fumbles off of Haynes King to shut out the Aggie offense as Jimbo Fisher’s lack of second-half adjustments once again failed the offense, and left us all wondering just how a team ranked #6 in preseason polls could possibly reach such lows. Well, here we are.

After the game, Jimbo Fisher and select players spoke to the media after the loss, as the three games remaining in the 2022 season will determine if Texas A&M plays in a bowl game, or packs it up early. Here are the most notable quotes from Layden Robinson and Edgerrin Cooper:

Texas A&M Players’ Monday press conference: Week 4 quotes

Players’ Monday press conference: Week 4 quotes

`The headline coming into Texas A&M’s week 3 matchup with the Miami Hurricanes was the change at the quarterback position for the Aggies, as the veteran, Max Johnson replaced the struggling Haynes King in his first career start with the program.

In what was a low-scoring affair marred by pre-game suspensions, controversial targeting calls, and attrition near the end of the game, Johnson, along with running back Devon Achane, and wide receiver Ainias Smith led the offense to 3 scoring drives and held on to win 17-9, while an outstanding defensive effort prevented the Hurricanes from scoring a single touchdown.

On Monday, Jimbo Fisher and a group of players including Albert Regis, Devon Achane, Ainias Smith, and Edgerrin Cooper spoke to the local media, answering questions about their recent victory, while looking forward to their all-important week 4 matchup vs. the Arkansas Razorbacks at AT&T Stadium.

Here are the most notable quotes from Albert Regis, Devon Achane, Ainias Smith, and Edgerrin Cooper.

Texas A&M Player Profile: Linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper

Texas A&M Player Profile: Linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper

Going into the 2022 football season, Aggies Wire will be looking at each scholarship player listed on the Texas A&M roster.

Over the preseason, each profile will cover where the player is from, how recruiting websites rated them coming out of high school, and what role they will play for Jimbo Fisher this season.

Edgerrin Cooper is entering his second year with Texas A&M as the projected starting Will linebacker, looking the take the next step in his progression at the position after being named to the 2021 SEC All-Freshman Team last season. Before Cooper began his career in Aggie land, he was a star linebacker at Covington High School in Covington, Louisiana, jumping on the Aggies’ radar after a stellar junior season, recording 85 total tackles, a sack, and 10 tackles for loss on the season. After another productive 2019 senior season, he committed to Texas A&M on Jan. 4, 2020, joining the top-10 2020 recruiting class featuring a number of current starters on the A&M roster. After choosing to redshirt his first year, Cooper entered his 2021 redshirt freshman season as a rotational linebacker and primary backup Will linebacker to the now-departed Aaron Hansford, he recorded 58 total tackles, an interception, and two pass deflections, and became one of the better playmakers on defense as his snaps increased throughout the season.

Preseason Player Profile

Hometown: Covington, Louisiana

Height: 6-3

Weight: 220lbs

247Sports Composite Ranking

Class of 2020: 4-Star player ranking, 5th ranked player in Louisiana, 11th ranked outside linebacker prospect in the country

Career Stats

Year G Tkl TFL Sacks Int
2020 10 2 0 0 0
2021 12 58 5.5 0.5 2

PFF Grades

Year Defense Tackling Run Defense Pass Rush Coverage
2020 60.1 – – – 60.0
2021 64.1 58.9 68.6 68.2 58.1

Depth Chart Overview

Edgerrin Cooper (Sophomore) enters the 2022 season as the projected starting Will Linebacker for Texas A&M in the Aggies’ 4-2-5 defensive scheme, led by the first-year defensive coordinator for the Aggies, D.J. Durkin. Cooper will play next to starting Mike Linebacker, Andre White Jr. (Senior). Other linebackers in rotation include Chris Russell Jr. (Senior) and Tarien Lee Jr. (Redshirt Junior). Edgerrin Cooper is truly one of those rare linebacker prospects with so much untapped potential with the opportunity to become a dominant presence throughout each week if he’s determined to put it all together in his first year as the starter. From his high school tape to his performances last season, Cooper is one of the rangiest athletes in the country, constantly utilizing his 6-4 frame to play in space and defend against the run, with the potential to be used more as a blitzing linebacker due to his closing burst and natural speed. With high expectations for the Texas A&M Aggies this season, all eyes will be on the linebacking tandem of Andre White Jr. and Edgerrin Cooper to take the next step in their development and become one of the best linebacking groups in the country come next season.

Players’ Photo Gallery

Sep 25, 2021; Arlington, Texas, USA; Arkansas Razorbacks running back AJ Green (0) breaks a tackle by Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (45) and scores a touchdown against the Texas A&M Aggies during the second quarter at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 27, 2021; Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers quarterback Max Johnson (14) calls the snap against Texas A&M Aggies linebacker Edgerrin Cooper (45) during the first half at Tiger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

Oklahoma loses commitment from 2020 4-star linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper

Grinch giveth, Grinch taketh away.

Or something like that. Just as the Sooners pick up a new commitment from 2020 linebacker…

Grinch giveth, Grinch taketh away.

Or something like that. Just as the Sooners pick up a new commitment from 2020 linebacker, Shane Whitter, Oklahoma loses a commitment from 2020 four-star linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper.

Cooper leaves a potential linebacking corps that includes 2020 commit, Brynden Walker (Bishop McGuinness High School; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), 2020 commit Shane Whitter (Williams High School; Burlington, North Carolina) and current Sooners, Brian Asamoah, Deshaun White and Ryan Jones.

An unfamiliar look for some Sooners fans, Oklahoma does not have room for everyone on defense. Although fans may hate to see a decommitment on the defensive side of the ball, it can be a good problem to have if Grinch and his staff can play their cards right.

However, Cooper’s decommitment slid the Sooners down a spot in the Rival’s team rankings from No. 13 to No. 14. With Texas still at No. 8 in the Rival’s rankings, the Sooners are still in fine position as signing day approaches.

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