Daily Pilot Football Player of the Week, Adam Cooper: Divided

loyalty.

Barry Faulkner

For the better part of eight football seasons, Adam Cooper has

cultivated what is known as a defensive mentality. To this way of

thinking, a pass over the middle is a defensive back’s license to maim,

an approaching ballcarrier an invitation to inflict mayhem.

Defenders are more prone to scowls than smiles, more likely to stare down

than chat up. They are, to a man, far less conflicted about the savagery

their sport often stirs within otherwise civilized souls.

The Corona del Mar High senior admittedly aligns his football philosophy

on the defensive side of the ball, despite adding a starting assignment

at tight end to his role as the Sea Kings’ strong safety.

However, early in the second quarter of a 28-7 Pacific Coast

League-opening victory over Laguna Beach on Oct. 14, the seeds of second

thoughts were triggered by a single, eventful, play.

“It was my first varsity touchdown,” recalled Cooper, who worked his way

behind the secondary and fielded a play-action pass from quarterback Evan

Burden to produce a 36-yard hookup which put the Sea Kings up, 21-0, en

route to their first win of the season.

“I’ve always preferred defense, because I like the hitting. But I’m

starting to like offense more every time I catch the ball.”

Cooper had two receptions for 47 yards, both career highs, and his

consistent blocking helped the Sea Kings amass 193 of their 325 offensive

yards on the ground.

But, alas, he did not forsake his defensive demons. His juggling

interception at his own 10-yard line halted a Laguna Beach scoring threat

and his aggressive run support helped limit the Artists to 14 yards on

the ground, as well as a mere three first downs.

For his dual contributions, the 5-foot-11, 190-pounder is the Daily Pilot

Player of the Week.

“That first TD was really exciting,” said Cooper, who had “one or two”

touchdown catches in previous years as a receiver, but had barely touched

the ball since joining the CdM varsity as a sophomore.

Cooper hadn’t planned on playing much offense, until Sea King coaches,

hoping to fill a void, asked him to give tight end a try during spring

practice.

“I was pretty excited about the chance to start both ways,” said Cooper,

whose time at receiver had included chiding from teammates about his

inability to match the prolific pass-catching exploits of older brother

Ryan, a two-way All-CIF Southern Section performer who is now a sophomore

defensive back at Georgetown.

“They’d make jokes about Ryan getting the hands in the family,” said

Adam, whose twin brothers, Kris and Matt, both standouts on the freshmen

team, figure to continue the Cooper family football tradition at CdM.

Adam Cooper made three catches for 44 yards the first two games this

season, but went two games without a reception, before coming up big

against Laguna Beach.

“We knew he could catch the ball, but his blocking has been a pleasant

surprise,” CdM Coach Dick Freeman said. “He’s not real big, but he gets

after people.”

Cooper saw action last season as a backup at outside linebacker, but was

shifted to his natural safety position this fall.

“We were short on linebackers last year, but we were glad to move him

back to safety,” Freeman said. “He has good instincts.”

A newly initiated member of the Black Watch, a distinction CdM bestows

upon players whose work ethic and devotion to team ideals make them

obvious leaders, the soft-spoken Cooper isn’t much for rah-rah speeches.

He prefers to lead by example and is gratified to have contributed so

greatly to the team’s first 1999 victory.

“As a team, we felt we should have won three of our first five games,”

said Cooper, who possesses a 3.5 GPA and has applied to Michigan,

Colorado, Georgetown, Boston College, North Carolina and Villanova.

He said coaches at Georgetown have asked him to play football, but that

this season is probably his swan song as a player.

If this season is indeed his last, he plans to enjoy his time on both

sides of the ball.