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Jonathon Cooper's Unexpected Redshirt Might Unlock Potential for Ohio State's Fifth-Year Senior Defensive End

Mickey Marotti pursed his lips when recalling Jonathon Cooper’s past year.

Sure, he’s glad to still have Cooper as a Buckeye, but it wasn’t the plan. Cooper didn’t ever intend to remain at Ohio State as a fifth-year senior in 2020. The idea was always to suit up across the line from Chase Young, spend the 2019 season starting at defensive end as a senior team captain, have a breakout performance then head off to the NFL. His body had another idea, though.

Before the season even kicked off, he suffered an ankle injury that kept him out of the first four games of the season.