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Cooper ready for his return?

Brent Pry assessed his group of linebackers at Penn State, stressing the quality that exists beyond the expected starters of Manny Bowen, Jason Cabinda and Koa Farmer.

Though all three are accompanied by lofty expectations for the upcoming season, Penn State’s coaches have said repeatedly, Pry noted that there will definitely be some competition playing out from behind.

“There's a couple of guys that really are going to need to play, and that's Cam Brown, that's Brandon Smith and to me, that's Jake Cooper,” said Pry in an interview this week at his office. “Jake's a guy that's finally healthy I think.”

Cooper ran off the field following a Nittany Lion practice in April.
Cooper ran off the field following a Nittany Lion practice in April.

Acknowledging the start-and-stop nature of Cooper’s career with the Nittany Lions, particularly in the past year, Pry revealed that the former Archbishop Wood product has shown signs of a strong return.

Having appeared in nearly every game as a true freshman in 2015, one of only four true freshmen on the team to earn a start, Cooper seemed to be in line for considerable action as a sophomore last season. And in fact, following injuries to two of Penn State’s starting linebackers last season, Cooper was tapped again to start in the third and fourth games on the schedule.

However, Cooper was absent due to an unspecified injury against Maryland and Ohio State, returned for an appearance without making a tackle against Purdue, and then would not play again in any of the Lions’ final six games to round out the season including the Rose Bowl.

Penn State’s coaches shy away from discussing any type of specifics regarding injuries and Cooper was again absent from action at times this spring and did not play in the Blue-White Game in April. Still, according to head coach James Franklin, the staff believes Cooper has gotten past some of those injury troubles that have plagued him and could ultimately contribute and provide some depth to Penn State’s linebacking corps this season.

“He's just an older guy. He's been around now. He kind of had the injury bug and we think we're kind of through that now,” said Franklin. “So I think Cooper is going to bring something that gives us some maturity and some depth at that position that we haven't had.”

Finishing his sophomore season with appearances in six games, Cooper tallied 15 total tackles on the year, building on his nine stops as a true freshman.

Now, another year older with an unspecified injury that appears to be in his rearview mirror, Pry is expecting the former Rivals.com three-star prospect to again make an impact in some capacity in the season ahead.

“Jake's been kind of an enigma. He does some things really well, but there were some real weaknesses in his game, and I think he's kind of at a point that I think he's ready to play his best football,” said Pry. “He's ready to kind of be the linebacker that he can be, take some big steps that way. He's had an injury that he's overcome, he's gotten bigger, he's gotten stronger, he's learned the defense and I think he's as hungry as he's ever been to show people that he can play linebacker here.”

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