Jon Cooper took over the head coaching reins at Benedictine University for the 2005 season after serving for 19 seasons as an assistant head coach, defensive coordinator and linebackers coach at Aurora University. Â Overall, Cooper has more than 40 total years of coaching experience at all levels. Cooper inherited a 1-9 team with just 24 players and has built the Eagles into a perennial conference contender.
Cooper, the winningest coach in school history, has guided Benedictine to the best won/loss record in the conference since the inception of the NACC. A two-time conference Coach of the Year, Cooper guided Benedictine to conference titles in 2010, 2011, and 2014, making the NCAA Playoffs for the first time in program history. Since the inception of the NACC, Benedictine is the only three-time champion with three playoff appearances.
Cooper has seen a pair of AFCA All-Americans along with six NACC Players of the Year during the last seven years. Cooper’s trademark is stellar defenses, as his units have achieved several top 10 and top 20 national rankings in a number of categories over the years at both Benedictine and Aurora, including leading the conference in total defense in 2013. While at Aurora, Cooper helped guide AU to four championships in the IBFC from 1998-2004 along with three playoff appearances. During that stretch, AU had a league best 43-6 conference record.
Cooper came to Benedictine from the staff of Aurora University where he served as Assistant Head Coach and Defensive Coordinator from 1986-2004. While at Aurora, Cooper was also an associate professor in Health/Physical Education and also worked in Development with athletic fundraising.
Prior to joining the Aurora football program in 1986, Cooper served as head coach at Dixon High School from 1980-85. He was also an assistant coach at Dixon (1975-79), Wheaton North (1973-74), and Proviso East (1972) high schools.Â
In his undergraduate days, Cooper played at North Park College (now University) where he earned a bachelor’s degree in 1972. He earned his master’s degree in education from Northern Illinois University in 1979.
Cooper and his wife Linda reside in Aurora, Illinois. They have three sons – Dave, Dan and Jim – and two grandsons (Jacob and Josh).
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| YEAR |
OVERALL RECORD |
NACC RECORD |
| 2014Â Â Â Â |
6-5 (.545) |
5-1 (.833) |
| 2013 |
7-3 (.700) |
4-2 (.667) |
| 2012 |
5-5 (.500) |
3-4 (.429) |
| 2011 |
7-4 (.636) |
6-1 (.857) |
| 2010 |
8-3 (.727) |
7-0 (1.000) |
| 2009 |
6-4 (.600) |
5-2 (.714) |
| 2008 |
4-6 (.400) |
4-3 (.571) |
| 2007 |
5-5 (.500) |
|
| 2006 |
4-6 (.400) |
|
| 2005 |
3-7 (.300) |
|
| TOTAL |
55-48 (.534) |
34-13 (.723) |
