Highland lineman signs with Black Hills State
This is No. 5 in a month-long series of profiles of Arizona high school seniors that signed with four-year colleges. Here's the full list (currently totaling 251) of players from within the state moving on to the next level.
SPOTLIGHT: 2/11/21
This week, Arizona Varsity unveiled its awards for the 6A Conference, 5A Conference, and 4A Conference. We didn't have a "Comeback Player of the Year". But if we did, Cooper Brown would've got my vote.
The 6-2, 230-pound defensive end at Highland was coming off a sophomore year in 2018 with 33 tackles and 4.5 sacks as the Hawks came within a whisker of Chandler in the 6A semifinals. He was getting ready for his junior campaign with the team at camp the following August when he tore his right ACL.
Out. For the year.
A long offseason in 2020 that for most players went six weeks later than normal was even longer for Brown, who felt good and ready to go about seven or eight months after the injury. He played in that opener on Oct. 2 against Desert Ridge for his first game action since November of 2018.
A week later, Brown had a pair of sacks against Desert Vista. He didn't miss a game for the Hawks, who went on to their first 6A Conference championship game.
One of the unquestioned leaders for Highland (three-year captain) will be heading to Spearfish, South Dakota and the campus of Black Hills State University for college.
Brown received an offer from the Yellow Jackets on Jan. 23 and committed last week just in time for National Signing Day. He also held offers from Eastern New Mexico, Southwest Baptist, and Mary.
"I really liked how the coaches and players made me feel at home and already part of the team," Brown said in an e-mail interview. "I like the vision they have for their program."
Going on a visit to the BHSU really sold Brown, who plans to study Business.
Brown made his presence felt early on in that Desert Vista game. He embraces the spirit of the defensive end position.
"Getting to rush off the edge and hit QBs," Brown said when asked about his favorite part about playing on the D-Line.
Of his 37 tackles last season, eight of them resulted in a loss for the ball carrier.
The game to get Highland into the title game was a classic. Running backs Max Davis and Jacob Cisneros put on a show for both the Hawks and Boulder Creek. HHS advanced with a 35-28 victory after making a goal-line stand on fourth down as time expired.
"It was so fun," Brown said. "(Linebacker) Kam (Cullimore) and I talked at halftime and made some in-game changes that really helped us win the game. That's what football is all about. Everyone loves a game that comes down to the last second.
Looking back on a season that ended with a trip to the championship game, it's important to remember that we almost didn't get here. Back in late June and into July, the prospect of having a football season seemed to get grimmer by the day.
Brown has the intellect to go to college (3.8 GPA), but really wanted to play college football. With no junior film for coaches to look at, it was imperative to be able to get on the field to make that dream happen. He nearly went to an extraordinary measure to do that.
"It was super stressful," Brown said. "My dad and I seriously thought about moving to Utah, but (Head) Coach (Brock) Farrel told us that we would get a season here and I knew I had to stay and play for him my last year in high school. But, it was very scary and stressful."
Without the usual team activities, due to the pandemic, Brown went to a friend that has a gym in his RV garage.
"I was super blessed to keep lifting when we couldn't be with the team and it really sucked that we couldn't lift together," Brown said. "The main thing that makes Highland special is how close we are and the bond we make every year."
Brown was one of 38 signees for Black Hills State in this recruiting class. One of the points of emphasis for the Yellow Jackets this year was strength in the trenches. BHSU had the opportunity to play football last fall, but it lasted just two games (0-2). An abbreviated five-game schedule was put together, but Black Hills State faced just South Dakota School of Mines and Colorado Mesa. In their last full season in 2019, the Yellow Jackets were 3-8. Black Hills State plays in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (Div. II).
While Brown will be playing his football in a different state and in a different climate, he'll always treasure his high school years and that he got to play all of them in Arizona.
"I loved my time and Highland and Coach Farrel is an amazing coach that has made a huge impact on my life for the better," Brown said. "Still a Hawk for life!"
