Gavin Cooper

Height:
6-3
Weight:
225
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Placerville, CA
High School:
Union Mine HS

A likely starter at the buck (defensive end) position this fall ... preseason honors include Phil Steele’s All-Great West Conference first team, Phil Steele’s All-American fourth team, Consensus Draft Services All-American honorable mention and College Football Performance Awards watch list for defensive linemen.

2010 -- Earned first-team All-Great West Conference honors on the defensive line after recording 39 tackles (19 solo) in 10 games ... led the team in tackles for lost yardage with 10, including team-leading six sacks ... also notched six quarterback hurries and forced fumbles in the Fresno State and South Dakota games ,,, recovered a fumble against Fresno State ... equalled career high with seven tackles against both Montana and South Dakota ... career-high five solo stops against South Dakota, 2.5 for lost yardage and a pair of sacks ... career-high three quarterback sacks against North Dakota.

2009 -- Redshirt due to injury.

2008 -- Started six games and played in four others as a sophomore, missing the South Dakota State contest ... recorded 29 total tackles (18 solo), matching his career high with seven tackles against Northwestern State ... 6.5 tackles for lost yardage, including 3.5 sacks for 32 lost yards ... returned an interception 31 yards against UC Davis ... two quarterback hurries and three pass breakups for season.

2007 -- As one of three true freshmen who played in 2007, Cooper recorded 16 total tackles, including nine solo stops and 1.5 sacks ... also credited with five quarterback hurries, including four against Western Oregon in his first collegiate game ... notched one sack against Western Oregon and assisted on another in the Iona game ... career-high seven tackles against Iona ... played in final eight games of season.

High School -- Cooper played his sophomore and junior seasons at Skyline High School in Oakland and finished his prep career at Union Mine High School, leading the Diamondbacks to a 10-2 overall record, 5-0 Sierra Valley League mark and the finals of the CIF-Sac-Joaquin Division II playoffs under head coach Dave Johnson ... a 2007 graduate of Independence High School in Diamond Springs ... recorded 77 total tackles (29 solo), 7.5 sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries en route to first-team all-league, all-Metro, all-CIF-Sac Joaquin Section and All-NorCal honors as a defensive end ... listed by Rivals.com No. 20 in the nation at linebacker ... as a junior at Skyline, Cooper notched 108 total tackles, three interceptions (one returned for a touchdown) and 12 forced fumbles, earning all-city (Oakland) honors ... he also was the only junior on defense (linebacker) on the All-East Bay All-Star Team ... also was honorable mention all-city defensive end as a sophomore ... also lettered in swimming, wrestling and track ... member of Student Council.

Personal -- Son of Farren and Carla Cooper ... three sisters, Salem, Bertha and Miki ... worked security at California Mid-State Fair during offseason ... born April 28, 1989, in Placerville, CA ... majoring in business administration with a concentration in marketing.