Cooper Is Firmly at the Controls for Bison

Video Games Help LB Develop Plan of Attack

Before he would entrust his defense to Endor Cooper, Howard coordinator Andre Creamer wanted to make certain the senior middle linebacker fully understood all of its nuances. The two men spent countless hours going over the playbook, watching film together and discussing defensive strategies. But it wasn't until they sat down in front of a television and played football video games that Creamer became convinced that Cooper grasped every aspect.

By manipulating the outcome of the game, Creamer was able to throw every scenario he could think of at Cooper. Trailing 21-17 with four minutes to go: What's the plan? The opponent just went to a hurry-up offense: How do you react? Each time, Creamer allowed Cooper to work through the situation, to make mistakes and to learn from them.

"As we were playing the game, I could pause [it] and say, 'Okay, in this personnel situation right here, what are you thinking?' And I was able to see right there that he's a guy that really understands the game of football," Creamer said.

The video game tutorial was just a small part of Cooper's evolution as the Bison's defensive leader. Cooper, a 6-foot-3, 245-pound linebacker out of Hylton High School in Woodbridge, always had the physical skills necessary to excel at his position. With his strength he can bring down the most powerful running backs, and with his quickness he can get to the most elusive quarterbacks. This potent combination is why he was voted Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference preseason defensive player of the year.

As middle linebacker, Cooper's responsibilities on the field include relaying the signals from Creamer, getting his teammates organized on the field and in the right spots and making adjustments depending on the offense's formation. In the heat of a game, it's a lot to keep track of and enough to make his head swim. Yet with Creamer's help, Cooper has become adept at his role. The hardest part for him was figuring out how to best communicate with his teammates. It's a skill he continues to refine.

"Last year was my first year doing it, and I didn't do as well," Cooper said. "I'm normally not as vocal. I try to lead by example. But it forced me to be more vocal."

After starting out as a linebacker, Cooper was switched to defensive end during his sophomore season. Though he found success -- he had 8 1/2 sacks, including a five-sack game against Bethune-Cookman that earned him national player of the week honors -- he was moved back to linebacker as a junior.

"I think [switching positions has] helped me because the year I played defensive end I got some sacks and worked on pass rushing, so now I feel like I'm a better blitzer," he said.

Cooper hasn't confined his learning to the football field. An electrical engineering major, he hopes one day to become a patent lawyer. He has managed to juggle the demanding major and two internships with law firms while playing division I-AA football. He said he has needed more than a few all-night study sessions.

"Being able to do engineering and football, that's a challenge," Creamer said. "He takes it on, just like the challenge of being the leader on defense and being able to understand what everybody is supposed to do and where they're supposed to fit in. That's a challenge for him, and he accepts challenges well. . . . He's a guy that takes concepts, theories and schemes, and he understands."

Cooper will be one of the most experienced members of Howard's defense, and the Bison will count on him to both lead and make plays.

"I might not necessarily be the fastest guy out there or the strongest, but I know how to get to the ball," he said. "And I know angles, so I can get to everywhere on the field just as fast. It may not be as fast or look as fast as anybody else, but I'll make the play. I try to make every tackle. That's my mentality."