Cooper breathing air into flat Ichabod offense

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, Oct 9, 2008 by Ken Corbitt

By Ken Corbitt

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

The two leading rushers in Washburn football history made a big splash as freshmen.

Trent Hearn had the most yards in school history by a freshman with 1,116 in 2003, and the following year Ra'Shawn Mosley debuted with 1,084 yards. Hearn concluded his career in 2006 with a school- record 3,154 yards and was surpassed in 2007 by Mosley, who finished with 3,416 yards.

Justin Cooper won't crack the 1,000-yard plateau this year, but the freshman tailback is establishing himself as the next premier runner for the Ichabods. Cooper ran for 109 yards in last week's win at Missouri Southern, continuing his weekly progression of production.

The 5-foot-11, 200-pound redshirt freshman from Denver, Colo., missed the first three games with a broken bone in his hand. He made his first appearance at Central Missouri, carrying the ball seven times for 11 yards, then against Missouri Western he had 12 carries for 50 yards and one touchdown.

When starting tailback Brandon Walker left the Missouri Southern game in the second quarter with an ankle injury, Cooper became the primary offensive weapon with 21 carries, including a 16-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter of the 23-0 win against the Lions.

"It was exciting to have a game like that," Cooper said. "I kept getting more carries and more yards. The more carries you can give a running back, the better he can get a feel for the game.

"It was tough the first few weeks when I broke my hand the week before the first game. I was so anxious to play, but I'm ready now."

As a senior at Overland High School in Denver, Cooper rushed for 867 yards (8.1 yards per carry) with nine touchdowns to earn second- team all-state honors.

"We were very excited about Justin coming into the season and it was disappointing when he got hurt," WU coach Craig Schurig said. "The more experience he gets, the more confidence he'll get. At the end of the Southern game, he was running with authority.

"He reminds me a lot of Trent Hearn. He's not quite as straight- ahead as Trent because Justin will use some elusiveness, but when there is contact made he generally tries to deliver the blow."

With Walker listed as questionable and a game-time decision with his ankle injury, the workload could increase for Cooper and sophomore Terrence Lowe when the Ichabods (4-2, 2-2 MIAA) take on Emporia State (3-3, 1-3) at 1 p.m. Saturday at Yager Stadium.

"I'm practicing hard and I'll be ready to do whatever the team needs me to do," Cooper said. "All you can ask for is an opportunity, so I'm going to take the opportunity and run with it."

Lawrence to redshirt

Eric Lawrence, a senior defensive end, will not play the remainder of the season and seek a medical hardship to return next season.

Lawrence injured his knee in the second half of Washburn's second game at Missouri State. He sat out the next two games, returned against Missouri Western and was held out last week.

"He'll need surgery," Schurig said. "As a senior, you don't want to end your career playing at 60 or 70 percent. He can get it fixed and come back full strength next year."

Lawrence started every game his first three seasons and was second team All-MIAA as a junior. He ranks second in WU history in tackles for losses with 33 and is No. 5 in sacks with 141/2.

Ken Corbitt can be reached

at (785) 295-1123

or ken.corbitt@cjonline.com.