Jon Cooper - Football Coach - University of North Texas Athletics

Jon Cooper

Title:
Assistant Coach, Offensive Line
Email:
UNTFootball@unt.edu
Alma Mater:
Oklahoma, 2009

Jon Cooper joined the UNT Football staff in January 2023. He comes to North Texas following one season at his alma mater, Oklahoma, as an offensive analyst in 2022.

He had a one-year stint at Western Carolina as offensive line coach in 2021 and served as the tight ends coach at Arkansas in 2020.

Cooper was the tight ends coach at UCF from 2018-19. During his two years in Orlando, the Knights went an impressive 22-4 including a 2018 American Athletic Conference championship, an undefeated regular season, a trip to the 2019 Fiesta Bowl and a spot in the final Associated Press poll (No. 11).

UCF’s offense was one of the most productive in the nation each of Cooper’s two seasons. The 2019 offense finished the regular season in the top 10 nationally in total offense (2nd – 540.5 ypg), scoring (5th – 43.4 ppg) and passing yards (8th – 316.7 ypg). The Knights’ total offense set a school record and marked the second straight year under then head coach Josh Heupel the UCF offense gained more than 500 yards per game.

In 2018, the Knights scored 43.2 points per game, ranking sixth in the nation, and gained 522.7 yards per game to finish the season ranked fifth in the country. The UCF ground game set a program-best with 265.2 yards per game to finish eighth in the nation.

Cooper also had coaching stops at Missouri for two seasons and Utah State as a graduate assistant. At Mizzou, he worked as an offensive analyst with then-offensive coordinator Heupel. The Tigers’ offense exploded to lead the Southeastern Conference in yards per game in 2017 (502.2 ypg) and points per game (37.5 ppg), while ranking second in passing yards (308.6 ypg).
In his final season in Columbia, Cooper helped the offensive line finish the year ranked eighth nationally in total offense, fifth in sacks allowed (13.0), 14th in scoring offense and passing yards, 18th in first downs (23.4 per game) and 16th in red zone offense (90.6% scoring).

He also spent one season at Utah State in 2015. Cooper began his coaching career at OU as a graduate assistant from 2013-14.

Originally from Fort Collins, Colorado, Cooper was a four-year starter at center for Oklahoma, earning Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year in his senior season in 2008 while blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford. During his playing days with the Sooners, he helped lead Oklahoma to a 42-12 overall record and a spot in the Bowl Championship Series National Championship game in his final season, while garnering two All-Big 12 selections and All-America honors as a senior.

He spent four seasons in the NFL with Minnesota (2009-11) and Tennessee (2012). Cooper graduated from Oklahoma in 2009 with a bachelor’s degree in human relations. He and his wife, Julia, have a son, Cage, and a daughter, Carter.

Coaching History
2013-14: Oklahoma, graduate assistant
2015: Utah State, graduate assistant
2016-17: Missouri, analyst
2018-19: UCF, tight ends
2020: Arkansas, tight ends
2021: Western Carolina, offensive line
2022: Oklahoma, analyst
2023-: UNT, offensive line