University of Iowa Athletics
Darian Cooper - Football - University of Iowa Athletics

#97 Darian Cooper

Position DL
Height 6-2
Weight 280 lbs.
Class RS Fr.
Hometown Elkridge, Md.
High School DeMatha Catholic

Hawk Item – – One of 13 seniors named to 2015 Leadership Group.

2015 – – Missed preseason training camp due to injury, and majority of the season . . . saw only action of the season in 40-20 win over Purdue, but had no statistics.

2014 – – Did not see action in 2014 due to injury.

2013 – – Saw action in all 13 games . . . recorded 18 tackles, including eight solo tackles and 10 assists . . . also had 1.5 tackles for loss and one QB sack . . . saw action in 30-27 opening loss to Northern Illinois, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 28-14 win over Missouri State, recording two assisted tackles as defense allowed just 197 yards total offense . . . saw action in 27-21 win at Iowa State as defense allowed just 59 net rushing yards . . . recorded one solo tackle at ISU, his first career QB sack to stop an ISU drive in the first half . . . saw action in 59-3 win over Western Michigan, recording two solo tackles and two assists as defense allowed just 209 yards total offense . . . saw action in 23-7 win at Minnesota, recording one assisted tackle as defense allowed just 165 yards total offense and 30 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 26-14 loss to Michigan State, recording two assisted tackles, including a shared tackle for loss . . . saw action in 34-24 loss at Ohio State, recording one solo tackle . . . saw action in 17-210 OT win over Northwestern, recording one solo tackle and one assist . . . saw action in 28-9 loss to Wisconsin, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 38-14 win at Purdue, recording one solo tackle as defense allowed just 53 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 24-21 win over Michigan, but had no statistics as defense allowed just 60 net rushing yards and 158 yards total offense . . . saw action in 38-17 win at Nebraska, recording two assisted tackles as defense allowed just 89 net rushing yards . . . saw action in 21-14 Outback Bowl loss to LSU, recording one solo tackle.

2012 – – Played in all 12 games, with two starts at defensive tackle . . . recorded 16 solo tackles and 18 assists, including 3.5 tackles for loss, two pass break-ups and one recovered fumble . . . started at defensive tackle in 18-17 win over Northern Illinois for first career action, recording one solo tackle, one assist and a pass break-up . . . saw action in 9-6 loss to Iowa State . . . recorded two solo stops and two assists vs. ISU, including a shared tackle for loss . . . saw action in 27-16 win over Northern Iowa, recording two solo tackles . . . saw action in 32-31 loss to Central Michigan, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 31-13 win over Minnesota as defense allowed just 299 yards total offense and collected four turnovers . . . collected two solo tackles and three assists vs. Minnesota, along with one QB pressure . . . saw action in 19-16 win at Michigan State, recording one assisted tackle . . . saw action in 38-14 loss to Penn State, recording two solo tackles and three assists to match career-best of five tackles . . . saw action in 28-17 loss at Northwestern, recording two solo tackles and one assist, including one tackle for loss . . . saw action in 24-21 loss at Indiana, but had no statistics . . . saw action in 27-24 loss to Purdue . . . recorded one solo tackle and two assists vs. Purdue, including one tackle for loss . . . also had first fumble recovery of career, which led to first Iowa touchdown, and added one pass break-up . . . saw action in 42-17 loss at Michigan, recording three solo tackles . . . started at defensive tackle in 13-7 loss to Nebraska . . . matched career-best with five tackles vs. Nebraska, including one solo tackle for loss and four assists.

2011 Honors – – Team Leader Award, Defense . . . 2011 – – Redshirted.

High school honors – – Named all-metro and metro defensive MVP in Baltimore area as a senior . . . first team all-conference and all-state as a senior . . . second team all-state as a junior . . . earned third team all-conference honors as a center during junior season . . . named team defensive MVP as a senior . . . Career – – Holds single game school record with five QB sacks . . . recorded 10 QB sacks, four forced fumbles and three pass break-ups as a senior . . . collected 12 QB sacks and two pass break-ups as a junior and had eight QB sacks as a sophomore . . . helped prep team post 20-4 record in his final two seasons and advance to state playoffs in each of three seasons . . . team captain as a senior . . . also competed in track, tossing shot put and discus.

Personal – – Born 1/5/93 . . . pre-business/communication studies major . . . mother is Catherine Cooper-Grogans . . . high school coach was Bill McGregor.