THE COOPER FILE

Hometown: Fort Collins, Colo.
College: Oklahoma, 2009
X/Twitter: @Jcoop50
Birthday: Oct. 1, 1986
Wife: Julia
Children: Sons, Cage and Carter

COACHING EXPERIENCE

2024-present:
Mississippi State, Tight Ends
2023:
North Texas, Offensive Line
2022:
Oklahoma, Offensive Analyst
2021:
Western Carolina (Offensive Line)
2020:
Arkansas, Tight Ends
2018-19:
UCF, Tight Ends
2016-17:
Missouri, Offensive Analyst
2015:
Utah State, Offensive Graduate Assistant
2013-14:
Oklahoma, Offensive Graduate Assistant

BOWL GAMES COACHED

2022: Cheez-It Bowl (Oklahoma)
2019: Gasparilla Bowl (UCF)
2018: Fiesta Bowl (UCF)
2017: Texas Bowl (Missouri)
2015: Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Utah State)
2014: Russell Athletic Bowl (Oklahoma)
2013: Sugar Bowl (Oklahoma)

Jon Cooper was named Mississippi State’s tight ends coach on December 1, 2023.

Cooper is reuniting with Lebby after coaching the offensive line at North Texas this season. He first teamed with Lebby as the tight ends coach at UCF from 2018-19. Lebby was then the quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator for the Knights. Cooper later joined Lebby as an offensive assistant at Oklahoma in 2022. He has also made stops as tight ends coach at Arkansas (2020) and as offensive line coach at Western Carolina (2021).

UCF’s offense was one of the most productive in the nation in each of Cooper’s two seasons. The 2019 offense finished the regular season in the top 10 nationally in total offense (No. 2 - 540.5 ypg), scoring (No. 5 - 43.4 ppg) and passing yards (No. 8 - 316.7 ypg).

In 2018, the Knights scored 43.2 points per game, ranking sixth in the nation, and gained 522.7 yards per game to finish the season ranked fifth in the country. The UCF rushing attack set a program record with 265.2 yards per game to finish eighth nationally. Senior Michael Colubiale led the way for Cooper’s tight ends with 21 catches and three touchdowns to earn All-American Athletic honorable mention status.

Cooper also has experience as an offensive assistant at Missouri (2016-17) under then-offensive coordinator Josh Heupel and a graduate assistant at Utah State (2015).

In his final season in Columbia, Cooper helped the offensive line finish the year ranked eighth nationally in total offense, fifth in sacks allowed (13.0), 14th in scoring offense and passing yards, 18th in first downs (23.4 per game) and 16th in red zone offense (90.6% scoring).

Cooper began his coaching career at Oklahoma as a graduate assistant from 2013-14. The Sooners went 19-7 over those two seasons and defeated Alabama, 45-31, in the 2014 Sugar Bowl.

He was a four-year starter at center for Oklahoma, earning Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in his senior season in 2008 while blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford.

During his playing days with the Sooners, Cooper helped lead Oklahoma to a 42-12 overall record and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game as a senior, while garnering two All-Big 12 selections.

Cooper spent four seasons in the NFL, playing 13 games during his first three seasons with the Minnesota Vikings and made his first career start against the Dallas Cowboys at center. He joined the Vikings in 2009 as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma before signing with the Tennessee Titans in 2012.

The Fort Collins, Colorado native graduated from Oklahoma in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in human relations.