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Great article on Cooper Cousins

Penn State freshman lineman Cooper Cousins pushing for early playing time​

• Updated: Aug. 13, 2024, 5:33 a.m.
• |Published: Aug. 13, 2024, 5:30 a.m.

• Max Ralph | mralph@pennlive.com

Penn State coach James Franklin, as measured as he always tries to be when discussing young players, had a hard time holding back when asked about freshman offensive lineman Cooper Cousins.

Cousins — a 6-6, 320-pound behemoth and former No. 1 prospect in Pennsylvania — has impressed at just about every step of his journey to Happy Valley.

On multiple occasions, Franklin has discussed the drama-free nature of Cousins’ recruitment. The Penn State staff offered the McDowell (Erie) product, he and his family walked away to discuss thing and came back minutes later ready to commit — almost two full years before he put pen to paper on signing day.

He was an unranked prospect at the time and simply continued to climb, never wavering in his pledge to the Nittany Lions. As “low maintenance” as Franklin had ever seen for such a highly regarded prospect.

Now that he’s finally on campus, playing one of the hardest positions to break through in as a freshman, Cousins is within range of doing just that.

“I don’t like to talk in ways that are going to create crazy expectations,” Franklin said, “but I could not be more impressed with him, really from the beginning.”

Cousins started the spring playing mostly center, but he’s moved around since and could be a contributor at just about any spot. Somewhere among the three interior positions seems most likely.

He’s gotten this far with a fanatical approach to his training. Almost every night, Cousins is back out on the practice field around 9:30 p.m. to continue drills. Headphones on, no one else around. Just pass sets, and then some more pass sets.

“It’s kind of weird, to be honest with you, but he is as driven and as committed a young player as I’ve ever been around,” Franklin said. “And specifically on the O-line because it’s hard to play those grown-man positions, O-line and D-line, as a true freshman. But he’s gonna be hard to keep off the field.”

Cousins’ late-night habits are also — somewhat comically — starting to become the responsibility of his elder players.

Junior offensive tackle Drew Shelton said he received a text around 11 p.m. one night, a photo of the offensive line room with plays drawn on the whiteboard. Cousins just wanted to ask a question about Penn State’s scheme.

“I actually had to call him the other day to tell him to leave,” Shelton said. “I said, ‘Coop, you gotta go home. Gotta get to sleep. Now is not the time.’”

“He knows what he wants, and he’s willing to put everything on the line to go get it,” Shelton continued. “He’s gonna be a really good football player here. He’s a good dude as well.”

Shelton hosted Cousins when the latter took his official visit to Penn State in high school, so the two have grown plenty familiar with each other.

“Coop is a lot. He’s got a big personality. He needs to respect you in order to really feel like you’ve got his best interest at heart. [I was] building that respect for me to be able to help him, coach him on the field, coach him in the classroom throughout the spring,” Shelton said. “So seeing him grow up has been pretty cool.

“He’s gonna be a really special football player. It’s his work ethic that really drives him to get better. He’s been a leader of this young O-line class,” Shelton added. “We’ve got a lot of guys that are going to play a lot of football here one day. It’s going to be a really impressive class, and it’s going to be led by Cooper Cousins.”

And it sounds like Cousins may already be closer to that “special” status than most would have expected.

“A lot of guys say they want to play as true freshman, but they’re not willing to do what it takes,” Franklin said. “And the guy is either in class or in the building and asking a ton of questions. He’s super aggressive. He’s not intimidated or afraid of anybody.”

KJ WINSTON FILM STUDY

See link above. Wanted to do this topic selfishly since safety play is a personal blindspot for me (and probably many fans) 1. Because of the limited/restricted TV camera window (so a literal blindspot in that sense) and 2. Because I don't have a firm grasp of coverage and rotation responsibilities when it comes to safeties in different looks, schemes, formations, etc. Thought some of the little details Codutti touched upon (like holding vertical threats as help rotates over) were fascinating. I'm sure a lot the credit seen in Winston's rapid development goes to Dex -- arguably Franklin's best position coach hire since he's been here...as in non-coordinator hire.

As we work through make or break time, PSU fans will be on the edge of our seats waiting....and waiting? ...for indications about IF and- how well the O is coming together. So ANY inkling of WRs showing well, of DA seeing the light ( downfield, that is), RBs ...well, running, TE's catching and blocking, and the new OL showing signs of playing well together...would be mooooossst welcome.

But, alas, tradition indicates we will likely have to wait for the all-important test cruise against WV to find these things out.

Opening games - especially on the road - have a way of showing out flaws in what was thought to be newfound strengths, BUT..... in "Good years" ..... can show strengths where fans see only weakness or a slew of unanswered questions. ( aka Charles Ives, Music 5!)

The Ole Gut says we will sputter, struggle, perhaps come from behind, and pull out a shaky W ( with would resolve few of the many questions on our mind), in what should be a genuine test of both sides of the ball - which means of course that STs may wind up being the difference. But speculate as we might - and must - the game is played on the field - by kids - in sometimes unexpected weather, and other conditions - so things are never as sure as they appear to be ( at least to some of us. )

Live long enough, though, and you too will have grief-ridden memories of opportunities lost. (1999) or near miraculous seasons (not that long ago-Thank you, Trace!) where the pieces all fall in place and we become that well-oiled machine! Hoping Morgantown provides the latter.

Continuing Professional Education, not payments (much to my chagrin).

You can register even if you aren't licensed, if interested or if your offspring might be affected.

One of the best ever. Certainly one of the most entertaining.

For those that don’t know she was one of the original Google executives and was CEO of YouTube when they took off from 14 to 23. A self made woman, her net worth approached $1B. She was only 56. She left YouTube last year when fighting lung cancer.

A Philly guy and Temple alum to boot.

Attack of the boring aliens.

Weird isn't necessarily entertaining.
Calgary in '88 did it best.

Does anyone have ADA parking and if so how much do you pay for the season ? Thank you

Has it been formally announced where the championships are next year?

Or if tickets have gone on sale yet?

Fascinating stuff.

And just to make it football related maybe we can play Alabama and have teams coached by clones of Joe and the Bear.

Maybe have the playoffs coached by Woody, Bo, Era, Knute, Joe, Bear, Urban, Donahue, Saban, Stagg, Robinson, Bowden?

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