Tag: Edgerrin Cooper

Five players to watch in Texas A&M’s Week 2 road matchup vs. Miami

Here are five players to watch out for ahead of Texas A&M’s road clash with the Miami Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon.

Texas A&M’s 2023 rebound season is off to the races after Jimbo Fisher’s rejuvenated roster dismantled the visiting New Mexico Lobos 52-10 behind starting quarterback Conner Weigman’s five touchdowns, including three to breakout sophomore wide receiver Noah Thomas.

This Saturday, the Aggies’ revamped offense will now take their high-octane passing attack to South Beach as they face the Miami Hurricanes in the highly coveted Week 2.

Throughout the week, we have done our absolute best at Aggies Wire to provide you with top-notch previews of the matchup this week, ranging from the top storylines, Florida native Shemar Stewart’s return to Miami, and, of course, the key to keeping the Weigman upright in the pocket; Texas A&M’s offensive line, or the “Maroon Goons” as we call them.

But talk is cheap, and the players who take the field this weekend will determine the final results. And even though the Aggies remain a slim four-point favorite as of Thursday, the Hurricanes and second-year HC Mario Cristobal are looking for revenge after falling 17-9 in Kyle Field last fall.

Ahead of Week 2, here are the five Texas A&M players to watch before the Aggies face Miami.

‘I felt good. Like coach Petrino always says, we got to feed the studs.’ Conner Weigman, Noah Thomas, and Edgerrin Cooper reflect on the Aggies 52-10 opening season win

Here is everything Conner Weigman, Noah Thomas and Edgerrin Cooper said after the Aggies 52-10 opening season win over the New Mexico Lobos

Texas A&M kicked off their 2023 college football season in exhilarating fashion against New Mexico on Saturday night, downing the visiting Lobo’s 52-10 behind starting quarterback Conner Weigman’s incredibly efficient performance, throwing for 236 yards for 18/23 (78% completion). Five touchdowns without an interception, becoming the first player in Aggie history with five touchdowns in a season opener.

Standing out more than any player on the field, sophomore wide receiver Noah Thomas is on his way to a breakout season, finishing the night with six receptions for 74 yards and three touchdowns. In comparison, star receiver Evan Stewart led the offense with eight receptions for 115 yards and two touchdowns on the night, as new OC Bobby Petrino’s playcalling has been welcomed with open arms as the Aggie’s up-tempo offense with multiple formation looks with truly a sight for sore eyes. On Saturday night, the studs were indeed fed.

The underrated performance that deserves more attention is the immediate impact of the former Boston College cornerback Josh DeBerry, who led Aggie’s defense with ten tackles, seven solo tackles, one sack, one interception, and a pass deflection; now that’s production. As a collective, the defense exercised some 2022 demons against the run, holding the Lobos below 100 yards on the ground, a feat that they failed to achieve last season.

For the first time in 651 days, Texas A&M scored 40 plus points in a game; welcome back, offense.

After the game, Conner Weigman, Noah Thomas, and linebacker Edgerrin Cooper spoke to the local media to reflect on the victory, as the focus now turns to their pivotal road test against Miami next Saturday at 2:30 p.m. CT. Here is everything Fisher had to say after the game.

Eleven Aggie football players named to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist

Texas A&M football has no shortage of veteran leadership as eleven players were named to the 2024 Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist.

A successful 2023 season for Texas A&M would not only mark a rebound for this football program, but it could also serve as a jolt for a handful of seniors preparing to make a leap to the NFL in the future.

The 11th Annual Reese’s Senior Bowl released its watchlist ahead of the 2024 exhibition in Mobile, Alabama. The Reese’s Senior Bowl is regarded as the preeminent college football all-star game and, for some, the first stage in the NFL Draft process.

Their scouting team has been hard at work in identifying the top-tier prospects at every level of college football for the 2024 NFL Draft, and identifying this year’s seniors is among the key staples of the evaluation process. As a reminder, the list does not include many true or redshirt juniors who could become eligible as of December 2023 (or earlier) graduates.

At first glance, the Maroon and White were well-represented, with 11 individuals highlighted. The full list of Aggie football players who landed on the Reese’s Senior Bowl Watchlist is as follows:

  • TE Max Wright
  • WR Ainias Smith
  • LB Chris Russell
  • OL Layden Robinson
  • DB Demani Richardson
  • WR Moose Muhammad III
  • DL McKinnley Jackson
  • DB Tony Grimes
  • DL Fadil Diggs
  • DB Josh DeBerry
  • LB Edgerrin Cooper

Texas A&M has no shortage of seniors with a practical chance of heading to Mobile for the Reese’s Senior Bowl. While the Aggies have a handful of sophomores projected as starters, many from their historic 2022 recruiting class, the Maroon and White will continue to lean on veterans at key positions.

Cooper and Russell are expected to be leaders of a linebacker unit with questionable depth. In contrast, Richardson is expected to mentor a secondary that could boast a potential breakout star in Bryce Anderson. Smith’s versatility speaks for itself, and it’s hard to imagine Bobby Petrino’s offense running smoothly without the wideout’s impact.

With one last ride on the football field around the corner, success in the fall could prove to be a stepping stone for many of these names, taking the leap to the next level in 2024.

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Texas A&M linebacker Edgerrin Cooper named to the Butkus Award preseason watch list

Ahead of a big season for Aggies’ linebacker Edgerrin Cooper, the ascending junior was named to the Butkis Award preseason watch list

Texas A&M will kick off their crucial 2023 CFB season against New Mexico in just three weeks (and a few days). As we’ve seen throughout August, several Aggies have been recognized as premier members at their various position groups. As of Thursday morning, Texas A&M junior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper has officially been named to the Butkus Award preseason watchlist.

Announced by the Butkus Foundation located in Chicago (IL), the award annually recognizes the top linebacker in the country in Division 1, and after flashing signs of impressive play during his last two seasons, Cooper’s length, speed, instincts, and most importantly, his consistency in pass coverage has skyrocketed his value ahead of the Aggies pivotal 2023 campaign.

Cooper’s ascendence to the starting lineup began last season, where he recorded 61 tackles (33 solo), eight tackles for loss, and an interception on the year. In 2021, Cooper first made his mark on defense in a rotational role, amassing 58 tackles (37 solo) while earning SEC All-Freshman Team honors.

In a release from Texas A&M Athletics, the Butkus Award starts and ends with its founder: Hall Of Fame linebacker Dick Butkus, who stared for the Chicago Bears from 1965-1973.

The number of linebackers on the watch list, 51, is a nod to the storied “51” pro jersey worn by the award’s namesake, Dick Butkus, who was named by NFL Films as the greatest defensive player in football history. The Butkus Award recognizes the best linebackers in football. The award semifinalists are expected to be named Oct. 30 with finalists to follow Nov. 20. The winner will be named on or before Dec. 6. Appearing on the watch list is not a requirement to win the award.

Cooper is the latest Aggie to be added to a preseason watchlist for individual hardware, joining McKinnley Jackson, Nik Constantinou, Max Wright, Bryce Foster, Donovan Green, and Demani Richardson.

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Texas A&M Football 2023 Position Preview: Linebackers; limited depth remains a question mark

Despite having two experienced starters, the Aggies’ linebacker depth remains a notable question mark heading into the 2023 season.

Texas A&M kicks off the 2023 college football season in just under two months, and while the offseason is nearing its conclusion sooner than later, it’s time to preview what Jimbo Fisher and his staff will be working with from a roster perspective.

The Aggies’ linebacker depth was a substantial question mark heading into spring football, as a pair of returning starters headlines the group with minimal depth to account for behind them. A big addition through the transfer portal helps in the demand for depth, and their performance as a group will be key for the Maroon and White to improve in defending the run.

Returning production: Edgerrin Cooper returns for his senior season in College Station after appearing in 11 games with eight starts for the Aggies in 2022. He recorded 61 tackles, including eight for a loss, five pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with a 66.1 overall defensive grade, including a 66.7 run defense grade, a 70.4 pass-rush grade, and a 59.7 coverage grade.

Cooper joins Chris Russell Jr. as the experienced leader of the linebacker unit. In 2022, Russell appeared in 12 games for the Aggies, recording 66 total tackles, one forced fumble, and one defensive touchdown. As the Mike linebacker, he recorded a 63.9 overall defensive grade, including a 70.2 run defense grade, a 51.9 pass-rush grade, and a 58.5 coverage grade in 2022 per PFF.

Sophomore Martrell Harris Jr. rounds out the three returners from last year’s campaign, appearing in 12 games while recording seven total tackles and one forced fumble. With just 54 total snaps, he finished with a 64.4 overall defensive grade, a 60.7 run defense grade, and an 86.8 pass-rush grade, according to PFF.

Departures:  Notable linebacker departures from 2022 include Andre White Jr., Tarian Lee Jr., and Ish Harris. White recorded 35 tackles, one sack, and one forced fumble in seven games. Lee recorded nine tackles in eight games, while Harris did not see the field in 2022.

Final Observation: The starting reigns are in the hands of Cooper and Russell, and the Aggies have a potentially athletic playmaker in Harris backing those two up. In adding former Jackson State product Jurriente Davis through the transfer portal, Texas A&M has a player that thrives as an off-the-ball linebacker, primarily at the Will position in the Aggies’ 4-2-5 defensive scheme.

Freshman Taurean York has flashed his upside in spring camp, but he’s a first-year nonetheless, and as we witnessed last season, throwing him into the fire will result in growing pains.

While the starters look promising on paper, and the addition of Davis gives them some much-needed depth, all it takes is for one injury to impact this unit significantly. For a defense that hopes to improve from its 124th run defense ranking in 2022, the hope is that his unit can stay healthy and build rapport throughout the season.

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Twelve Aggies will represent Texas A&M in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl

Ahead of the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl, twelve Aggie football players will represent the Maroon and White on Feb. 1.

We’re just 42, yes, 42 days away from the end of “talkin’ season” and the start of actual Texas A&M Football being played inside Kyle Field, as the Aggies kick off their crucial 2023 campaign on Saturday, Sept. 2, hosting New Mexico.

Now, taking a sneak peek ahead to February, which is likely a dreaded thought for most, it was announced this week that twelve Aggie football players will represent the program in the 2024 East-West Shrine Bowl, which for the first time in its vast history will take place in my former hometown, Frisco, Texas at the Ford Center at The Star, the NFL’s Dallas Cowboy’s primary practice field.

Texas A&M’s 2023 season may already be marred by several media-obsessed storylines surrounding the program’s 2022 failures and how well Jimbo Fisher and new offensive coordinator Bobby Petrino’s “egos” will work in tandem. Still, focusing on the unscathed truths around what truly matters while gauging future success, the Aggies roster is stacked from top to bottom. Every player selected in the East-West Shrine Bowl is some of the best at their respective postion in the county.

  • Senior Punter, Nic Constantinou 
  • Junior Linebacker, Edgerrin Cooper 
  • Senior Cornerback, Josh DeBerry
  • Junior Defensive end, Fadil Diggs 
  • Senior Cornerback, Tony Grimes 
  • Senior Defensive Tackle, McKinnley Jackson 
  • Junior Wide receiver, Moose Muhammad III
  • Senior Safety, Demani Richardson 
  • Senor Offensive guard, Layden Robinson 
  • Senior Linebacker Chris Russell Sr. 
  • Senior Wide receiver (selected as a running back) Ainias Smith 
  • Junior Offensive guard Jordan Spacojevic-Moko

In response to the change of venue, Dallas Cowboys’ Chief Operating Officer, Executive Vice President, and Director of Player Personnel, Stephen Jones, described his excitement in bringing the game to Frisco and its continued effort in raising the profile for Shriners Children Hospital.

“It is a tremendous honor to host the East-West Shrine Bowl at the Ford Center at The Star next February,” said Stephen Jones “The game is a fixture in college football. We look forward to bringing the best college football players in the country to Frisco in the spirit of helping Shriners Children’s care for young patients around the world.”

Congratulations to all twelve young men for their selection ahead of what is hopefully a memorable 2023 season in College Station.

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Texas A&M 2023 college football season countdown: No. 45 Edgerrin Cooper

Texas A&M will lean on senior Edgerrin Cooper to lead a linebacker unit that aims improve in both run defense and pass coverage in 2023.

Fear not, ladies and gentlemen, meaningful college football is just around the corner, with the start of the 2023 season under two months away! Here at Aggies Wire, we’ll be counting down by looking at each Texas A&M football player that corresponds to the number of days left till the start of the football season.

With 45 days until the start of the season, we’re looking at No. 45 for the Maroon and White: senior linebacker Edgerrin Cooper.

Cooper returns for his senior season in College Station after appearing in 11 games with eight starts for the Aggies in 2022. He recorded 61 tackles, including eight for a loss, five pass deflections, one interception, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery. According to Pro Football Focus, he finished with a 66.1 overall defensive grade, including a 66.7 run defense grade, a 70.4 pass-rush grade, and a 59.7 coverage grade.

Cooper joins Chris Russell Jr. as a bonafide veteran and leader of a linebacker unit that has enters the 2023 campaign with limited depth following three departures, though transfer Jurriente Davis aids in that area. Regardless, Cooper’s play will be counted on if the Aggies hope to take a leap in defending the run while also improving in pass coverage.

In 2022, Texas A&M ranked 124th in the country in run defense, allowing an average of 218.3 yards per game on the ground to their opponents. As a will linebacker who has the skill set to play sideline to sideline, Cooper plays a major role in defending the run. Simultaneously, he’s proven to be immensely valuable in pass coverage as he logged five pass breakups last season, which tied for fifth among linebackers in the country.

Texas A&M has a case to be made for having one of the most fearsome defensive units in the SEC this season, and Cooper’s veteran experience and leadership in the middle will be a vital component for the Aggies to compile a bounce-back season in 2023.

Edgerin Cooper’s Photo Gallery;

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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.

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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.