Freshman Cooper Jones Adjusting Well to College Football, Working Hard to Hit at Big Ten Level

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Written by Matt Smith (@mattsmith1401)

Incoming Freshman Cooper Jones was one of the top defensive linemen in the state of Indiana during his high school career. The 6-foot-6, 270 pound freshman was a huge get for the Hoosiers when Jones committed in April of 2020. 

Jones did a lot of things during his high school career to work on his athleticism, including playing basketball for his high school where they won three sectional titles during his time on the team. 

“My dad and I used to say that basketball is probably the most fun way to improve your agility,” Jones said. “Instead of having the offseason in the winter and just lifting weights and  running is good. I have played basketball ever since I was little, so it is a good to be able to compete, keep your agility up, and also compete outside of football. It is a little cross-train and make sure you don't get hurt.”

As an incoming freshman, Jones has already noticed a lot of differences between the athletes that he played against in high school and his teammates that he will line up against in practice. 

“I would say it's just another level, another notch for sure. All those guys are men, and they are moving fast. It is definitely a process and it's going to take some time to get used to it, but I feel like I am already starting to adjust a little bit,” Jones said.

With all of the big time athletes that Jones has to play against, he is looking to build his conditioning levels during the offseason. 

“The conditioning has been good. I feel like where I started the first workout until now, I have definitely improved. It is going to be a constant improvement. For sure there is another level that some of those guys are at. As long as I keep working hard, I feel pretty confident that I will be able to hit that level,” Jones said.

Jones carries on the legacy of division one athletes in his family— his father Eric was a key player on Notre Dame’s defensive line from the late 1980s to early 90s, and his mother, Kassey, was a pitcher on the IU softball team from 1992 to 1996. His mother talking about how much fun she had at Indiana was one of the reasons that Jones decided to commit to IU.

“I knew she had a great time here and that it was a great experience for her inside and outside of athletics. It was nice to have a little inside information about what to expect. Obviously a lot of stuff has changed, like facility-wise. It is a lot nicer than when she was here. She was like ‘it is a great place, and I am proud that you picked it,’” Jones said.

Jones will look to continue to improve his conditioning in the weeks leading up to summer training camp as he competes for playing time during his freshman year.