Cooper, 6 other local players highlight SU’s football class

Winchester — Danny Cooper loved every minute of his playing days under former James Wood High School football coach Walter Barr.

By deciding to play for one of Barr’s former assistants, Shenandoah University head coach Paul Barnes, Cooper figures he can’t go wrong.

“He said some of the same things that coach Barr says when I talked to him,” said Cooper, a linebacker. “If coach Barnes is like coach Barr, I’m going to like him too.”

Barnes confirmed Friday that Cooper is one of seven local players who have committed to play for Shenandoah this upcoming season, a significant number given that the Hornets have featured an average of four local players on their entire roster per season since 2002.

Barnes, SU’s eighth-year head coach, said he and his staff didn’t change their approach to local recruiting. They just happened to find a larger than normal group that found SU to be the right place for them.

“I don’t think we hit [local schools] any harder than we have any other year,” Barnes said. “There were just a lot of kids who thought our school was the right fit for themselves. The most important thing is making sure these kids find someplace they’ll be comfortable with the next few years.

“I think this is a great area for talent, and I think last year the talent level was particularly high. There were a lot of kids that expressed interest, and I think the ones we brought in are going to help us.”

It’s been a long time since SU brought in a local player with Cooper’s high school accomplishments. Cooper was a first-team all-Northwestern District selection who led the area with 135 tackles and added three sacks.

Cooper will be joined at SU by several other players of note. Skyline quarterback Nate White threw for 1,339 yards, 15 touchdowns and six interceptions in leading the Hawks to a 6-4 record last season.

Handley offensive lineman Chris Lewis was a second team all-district lineman for a Judges team that won the Northwestern District championship and advanced to the Region II final.

Though Millbrook’s Allen Silver is expected to be a running back at SU (he averaged 6.7 yards per carry and gained 377 yards as the Pioneers’ fullback last season) he was an all-district first-team defensive end.

Others heading to SU are linebackers Josh Floyd (James Wood) and Tyler Eddy (Skyline) and Barnes’ son Austin (Millbrook), who will play defensive end.

Barnes said the entire incoming class should be finalized in the coming days.

James Wood coach Mike Bolin said Cooper’s value goes far beyond the impressive statistical numbers.

“Everybody knows that in order to be a great linebacker you’ve got to be big, fast and physical,” Bolin said. “But he’s so smart. He’s a student of the game who watches film and studies scouting reports. He wanted to understand and be prepared for everything that could happen on Friday night.

“There are a lot of guys who are just brawn, but he’s got a brain on his head.”

Barnes said Cooper can do great things if he works at it.

“A lot of our recruits have potential to do well, and Danny in particular has that potential,” Barnes said. “But we make no guarantees that anyone will play. You have to earn everything.”

Cooper said he will likely to study business at SU, and he plans on bringing a business-like approach to help the Hornets’ rebuilding process. SU is just 8-32 since advancing to the 2004 Division III playoffs.

Cooper’s familiar with struggles. When he was at Frederick County Middle School, he said his teams did nothing but lose.

But unlike so many of those who graduated before him at James Wood, he got to see his determination pay off. In high school, the Colonels went 23-9 and made two playoff appearances over the last three years.

“Coach Barr turned the program around at James Wood, and it was exciting to be a part of that,” Cooper said. “Hopefully we can turn things around [at SU] this year.”

Cooper doesn’t know what role he’ll have with the Hornets this year but — like all of the local recruits — at least he can count on a fan base.

“He’s going to be willing to do whatever coach Barnes wants him to do,” Bolin said. “I can’t wait to see him play.”