Cooper Cousins has never taken the easy path. It’s not in his blood. His father was a prison guard, his mother an elementary school reading specialist. There’s a piece of each parent within Cousins’ makeup, a blend of attributes poised to lead him toward superstardom on Penn State’s offensive line. And his long-awaited moment is just now arriving.
It’s all but a given that Cousins will next season be the Nittany Lions’ starting right guard, especially after the departure of JB Nelson, who entered the transfer portal this week. It’s an opportunity that took sleepless nights in the facilities, the product of a lifelong pursuit for greatness that spawned in the living room of his childhood home.
“Coop is definitely seizing the moment. He’s been playing at an elite level,” center Nick Dawkins said Wednesday. “Coop is, by far, one of the most talented young offensive linemen that have come to Penn State. And his work ethic matches his potential. It’s extra work every day. It’s extra film. It’s asking 10 trillion questions to figure out what he needs to work on.”
There were nights in which Cousins wouldn’t see his father, who was out working double overtime shifts to provide for his five children. His mother, meanwhile, devoted her career toward helping others. Cousins didn’t know it at the time, but the manner his parents went about their daily lives eventually molded his advanced work ethic.
“They grew up preaching hard work,” Cousins said this winter. “I’d say those are my two biggest motivators, and that’s my why.
“My dad working double overtimes, getting home in the a.m., waking up, leaving again to go back to work, just to sacrifice and provide for his family. And then my mom, as well, helping out the kids at her school, working countless hours to help kids struggling with certain things. Just seeing how those two just went about their life to help not only me, but other people.”
Cousins is oftentimes the last player in the Penn State facilities, prone to awaking teammates, specifically starting left tackle Drew Shelton, with questions long after dusk. He’s also a leader, outspoken and mature for his young age, with a deep understanding of the standard that comes with being a part of the Nittany Lions’ touted offensive line.
James Franklin has peered out of his office window long after the practice field lights have been shut off, and there’s Cousins performing pass sets in the pitch darkness. In fall camp, Shelton recalled settling into bed when he received a text message with a picture of a whiteboard and a question. It was from Cousins. Shelton told him to go home.
“That’s just Coop. He probably won’t leave tonight until like 11:30,” Shelton said after practice on Tuesday. “That’s just what he does. He’s gonna work every single day.”
Cousins is only sophomore, but his youth hasn’t held him back from setting himself apart from his peers. He stands at a towering 6-foot-6 and 308 pounds, a frame already comparable to All-Pro interior linemen such as Joe Thuney and Frank Ragnow. And, soon enough, Cousins will have the opportunity to follow in their footsteps as a dynamic pro.
Penn State offensive line coach Phil Trautwein has already set a high ceiling for what Cousins could become. Trautwein has, in the past, compared Cousins to his college teammates Maurkice and Mike Pouncey, two of the top centers this century. Eventually, Cousins is expected to make a long-term move to center. But, for now, he’s earning his chops as a guard.
“He’s strong and he’s physical and he’s tough, so sometimes that can be his best thing, but it could also hurt him if he tries to be too physical and he’s out of the framework or he’s not using great technique,” Trautwein said last week. “So, when he becomes a technician, which he’s slowly, slowly becoming one, he’ll be elite.”
Franklin isn’t ready to simply hand Cousins the starting right guard spot. A competition for the role against Texas A&M transfer TJ Shanahan Jr. and blossoming third-year Alex Birchmeier should only sharpen Cousins’ iron. But it shouldn’t be a question whether he’s the favorite. Cousins is too good, too promising to keep on the sidelines.
There’s a reason Cousins was one of only three freshmen who burned their redshirts last season.
It wasn’t so long ago that the offensive line was an almost annual weakness for the Nittany Lions. That sentiment, though, has shifted dramatically over the past few seasons. Olu Fashanu, Will Fries, Juice Scruggs and more have set a recent standard for greatness. And Cousins, molded by all the right stuff, is on the path to potentially becoming the best in the pack.
“He cares about people, he cares about the team, he cares about Penn State. And I’m very excited for the opportunity that he has this year, because, quite honestly, even being here for a short amount of time, he’s earned it,” Dawkins said. “He’s earned his opportunities and where he’s at today because of the work that he’s put in, because of the person that he is, and just the overall effort and ethics that he has as a human.”
