If Cooper Edmiston has the same opportunistic nature as an NFL General Manager for the Dallas Cowboys that he displays as a TU football player, it is safe to say there won’t be any 23-year Super Bowl droughts under his watch.
Edmiston’s career goal of becoming the GM for his favorite pro football team will have to wait, however, as his current task of leading the Golden Hurricane to a bowl game is foremost on his mind.
With any help at all from the offense this year, Tulsa’s defense, with Edmiston manning the middle linebacker spot, should be good enough to get TU back to where it belongs - going to a bowl game.
The opportunistic nature of Edmiston’s play, especially as a junior last season, has Tulsa’s defense playing at a much higher level than in recent seasons. Edmiston came up with an astounding four interceptions last season, which is almost unheard of for a Mike linebacker.
“First I’ve got to give a lot of credit to my teammates,” Edmiston said. "They’re making those plays happen. I was just in the right spot. A lot is discipline, knowing where you need to be. As a middle linebacker, it’s not that hard, you’ve just got the middle of the field. But just the discipline of knowing your assignment.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to this year, trying to continue that and trying to make big plays because big plays like that can always swing the momentum of the game.”
To go with the interceptions, Edmiston recovered three fumbles and forced three fumbles. Not to mention that he led the team in tackles with 113, including 7.5 for losses, had three quarterback hits, and broke up a pass.
Not bad for a guy that was lightly recruited out of high school. Even though Edmiston didn’t receive a lot of recruiting fanfare, TU coach Philip Montgomery had some inside information on him.
Edmiston’s brother, Cole Edmiston, played for Baylor when Montgomery was the offensive coordinator there.
“I got my offer in the summer going into my senior year,” Edmiston said. “I knew some of the coaches. Coach (Joseph) Gillespie (TU defensive coordinator and linebackers coach) was actually the head coach of Stephenville in my junior year, and we played against them. So he knew me a little bit. And my brother played at Baylor. So obviously some of the coaches come from Baylor, so I knew them a little bit through that.
“At the end of the day, it was my only D-I offer. From the first time I came up here I liked it. I loved the coaches. It felt like a family.”
Edmiston’s good hands, as well as his knack for making plays, goes back to high school where he played tight end and linebacker. As a senior, he caught 22 passes for 366 yards and four touchdowns, as well as recording 145 tackles, with eight for losses, as a senior. As a junior, Edmiston had three interceptions.
Edmiston is excited about TU’s defense this year, especially with Gillespie being elevated to defensive coordinator after legendary DC Bill Young’s retirement. Edmiston loves the full-time change from the 4-3-4 to 3-3-5 defense last season.
“I think since changing over last year to this new defense, it’s allowed me to free up and play a little faster,” Edmiston said. “I don’t have quite as much thinking to do. My gaps, sometimes it’s just a man read, so if I see it, I can go get it. I really enjoy that, just kind of let me be free and play.
“I like that, and I think it will continue to help our defense. It kind of allows you to throw in some more stuff. It’s a simpler defense so it allows you to change up some things.”
Tulsa’s defense showed major improvement in 2018, especially in defending the pass, where TU ranked in the top 10 nationally. But Edmiston believes the run defense needs to catch up to the pass defense.
“I really expect to see an improvement in our run defense,” Edmiston explained. “We gave up a lot of yards last year in our run defense. We have to improve that. I saw an article our coach gave us the other day that we held only two teams under 190 yards, which was against Central Arkansas and SMU, both games we won. We can’t let teams run like that for 200 plus yards. It’s hard to win games when you do that. You’ve got to make teams put the ball in the air.”
Having the 6-3, 241-pound Edmiston back for his senior year, as well as fellow starters Zaven Collins and Diamon Cannon back as well, should assure Tulsa’s run defense will improve.
“I think it’s just playing more aggressive,” Edmiston described. “We’re doing a few things that we implemented in spring and we’ll continue bring in a few more things that will help us load the box a little more, and have five or six men in the box instead of four men that we are sometimes left in.
“That and just another year in this defense under our belt. Everybody understands it. I think that will help a lot.”
Edmiston and his teammates undeniably miss playing for Young, but have all the confidence in the world in Gillespie.
“I think there will be a few changes,” Edmiston said. “Coach Gillespie is throwing in a few little wrinkles that he thinks will benefit us. I think Coach G has been really hands-on with the defense the last few years. So I don’t think a whole lot will change.”
Always a hard worker, Edmiston has been especially vigilant in preparing for the senior season of a career where he has been an important contributor since he was a true freshman. Overall, Edmiston has started 24 of the 37 games he has played for TU, including 23 of the last 24.
“Something I’ve really been focusing on is improving my body, watching what I eat, getting in extra workouts,” Edmiston said. “This is my senior year, so I’ve only got one chance left to show what I’ve got.”
Hopefully that will mean getting a shot at the NFL next season. With or without that shot in 2020, Edmiston is preparing himself for an NFL future, majoring in Business Management, with a sports management specialization.
Now if TU can be as opportunistic as Edmiston has been during his college career, then the Hurricane will have a good chance at success this season.
