Former Local Millennium star Anthonie Cooper ready to step up
It is no secret Arizona State’s defensive line struggled in 2019. At times, opposing quarterbacks were left alone in the pocket with what seemed like an eternity to complete a pass. This season, the unit is hoping to turn around its pass-rushing woes, and one of the players attempting to do so is Anthonie Cooper.
Cooper, a redshirt-freshman, starred at local Goodyear Millennium High School, racking up 114 career tackles (42.5 for loss) and 15 sacks in 29 games. In his senior year, he was named to the 2018 Arizona Football Coaches Association All-5A first team.
Cooper redshirted last season for the Sun Devils while taking advantage of the NCAA rule that allows true freshmen to play in up to four contests and still redshirt. That gameday experience in his first year at ASU allowed him to acclimate to the college football level.
This year, however, Cooper is slated for a much bigger role for Arizona State. And to get ready for the expanded responsibility, he took to thoroughly understanding the scheme in this offseason.
“First thing I really did was study the playbook,” Cooper said. “I didn’t really know what position I was going to be playing coming in, so I took it upon myself just to try to really study the whole defensive line, so when I got put on the field or put in practice, I had a good idea of what. Had to do, and so it’s really paying off right now.”
The transition from Danny Gonzales’ 3-3-5 scheme to Antonio Pierce and Marvin Lewis’ 4-3 system is one Cooper feels would benefit him as it offers less rigidness in the approach the defensive linemen will be taking.
“Within this defense, I think we’re allowed a little more flexibility,” Cooper explained. “And I think we’re allowed to use our eyes and our own abilities more to beat the man in front of us. Like last year’s defense, there’s a certain assignment we had to go do that, but right now, we get to play a little bit more freely.”
It is no secret Lewis’ pedigree is impressive. In addition to 16 seasons as the Cincinnati Bengals’ head coach, he was also the defensive coordinator for the Super Bowl champion 2000 Baltimore Ravens, debatably the best defense of all-time.
Cooper is well aware of Lewis’ track record and the wealth of knowledge he now shares as ASU’s co-defensive coordinator.
“When I first got word, it was really exciting,” Cooper remarked, “because I know what coach Lewis has done in the league and I know he’s going to bring a different feel to the game and everything about what we’re doing is just a whole different feel and it is real fun.”
Another new factor on the ASU defense that could aid Cooper’s success rate is first-year defensive line coach Robert Rodriguez. Rodriguez, who spent the last five seasons as an assistant defensive line coach for the Minnesota Vikings, is yet another coach with NFL experience on this Sun Devil staff, bringing a wealth of credibility.
“We’re all following coach Rod’s lead and really doing what he’s teaching,” Cooper stated. “I’ll say the main thing that coach Rod is telling us right now is, beat the man in front of us. It’s really, don’t get caught up in everything happening in the backfield.”
Being a local product, Cooper knows there is pressure on him to do well in his increased role for his hometown team, yet he also sees the positives of playing in his proverbial backyard.
“I got a lot of support, and I got a lot of people I want to prove wrong, and I just got a lot of people I want to make proud of me,” Cooper stated. “It’s definitely very fun, and it’s really exciting to get put into this role and just try to make the most of it.”
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