John Cooper

John Cooper is an accomplished former college football coach, recognized for leading teams to Rose Bowl victories in both the Pac-10 and Big Ten conferences. After commencing his distinguished head coaching career at the University of Tulsa in 1977, John Cooper achieved a remarkable 56–32 record and secured five Missouri Valley Conference titles over eight seasons. Prior to this, Cooper honed his coaching expertise through various assistant positions, serving at Iowa State in 1962, Oregon State from 1963–1964, UCLA from 1965–1966, as Defensive Coordinator at Kansas from 1967–1971, and as an assistant at Kentucky from 1972–1976. Concurrently, he also served as Athletic Director at the University of Tulsa from 1981 to 1985.

He has also been honored with induction into both the University of Tulsa Hall of Fame and the Greater Knoxville Hall of Fame. Cooper continues to be a revered figure in college football, with his strategic acumen and mentorship leaving a lasting impact on the sport and its athletes.