Football
Cooper, Roger
Roger Cooper
- Title:
- Co-DC / Linebackers
- Email:
- nathan.dellinger@mso.umt.edu
- Phone:
- 243-2969
2025 will be Roger Cooper’s fourth season overall at Montana and his second as the Grizzlies’ co-Defensive Coordinator and linebacker coach. Prior to serving as co-DC, he worked exclusively with Montana’s linebackers in 2023, and safeties in 2022.
Since arriving at Montana in the spring of ‘22, Cooper has helped produce some of the best defenses in FCS football and helped mentor some of the program’s all-time great defenders.
In 2023 Montana put out one of the most historic defenses in program history en route to the FCS National Championship. Montana allowed just 108.5 yards per game rushing that season – the third fewest in the FCS and a Big Sky-low. Those 108.5 yards were the second fewest of the last decade allowed by the Griz as well.
Montana also picked off 17 passes that season – the fourth most in the FCS and the second most at UM in the last decade – and finished the year with a Big Sky-best total in turnover margin (+9) and turnovers gained (24).
All told the 2023 Griz gave up the third fewest total yards per game in program just over 314 yards, the third fewest in program history, and 17.2 points per game – the fewest in the Big Sky and fifth fewest in the FCS.
As safeties coach, Cooper helped Robby Hauck become the Big Sky Conference’s all-time leading tackler in 2022.
Moving to linebacker coach in ’23 he helped mentor Braxton Hill, who led the Big Sky in tackles with 128 on the season, one of the top-10 tackling years ever in program history. Hill, a former walk on from Anaconda, was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award that season as well. Cooper also helped Riley Wilson make the switch from tight end at Hawaii to linebacker at Montana, finishing his first year in the FCS second in the Big Sky in tackles for loss and fifth in sacks in ’23.
In March of 2022 Cooper returned to the state of Montana after spending 10 years at Idaho State, where he most recently served as the associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebacker coach under Rob Phenicie.
Cooper was an All-American linebacker at Montana State. He then began his coaching career at Bozeman High School before serving as a graduate assistant for the Bobcats in 2011.
He began coaching at ISU the following year when he was hired by long-time Big Sky coach Mike Kramer to lead the Bengals’ running backs, eventually working his way up to defensive coordinator in 2018.
At Idaho State, Cooper mentored some of the top linebackers in the Big Sky Conference, including the league’s 2014 Freshman of the Year and three-time all-conference pick Mario Jenkins.
Jenkins, who finished fourth in the voting for the Jerry Rice Award given to the top freshman in the FCS and went on to earn an NFL mini-camp invite from the Kansas City Chiefs, was one of 18 all-conference selections for Cooper’s defensive units in his 10 years with the program.
Led by Cooper, ISU’s linebacking unit in 2016 was one of the best in the Big Sky, with Jenkins earning second-team all-conference and Joe Martin earning third-team honors. The trio of Jenkins, Martin, and Hayden Stout combined for 259 tackles, six interceptions, five sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries that season.
Prior to his time at Idaho State, Cooper served as a graduate assistant at MSU in 2011.
Before working at his alma mater, he coached at Bozeman High School in 2010, where he helped the Hawks win the program’s first state championship since 1917 as the coordinator of the top-ranked defense in the state.
As a player, Cooper was a standout linebacker who earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in three-straight seasons (2002-2004) and was named the Big Sky defensive MVP in 2004. He was also a second-team All-American and a starter on an MSU defense that helped snap Montana’s 16-game win streak in 2002.
He then spent three seasons in the NFL and NFL Europe from 2005-2007, with stints in Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, and Frankfurt, Germany, before suffering a career-ending injury.
The Cooper File
Hometown: Port Orchard, Wash. (South Kitsap High School)
Wife: Jessica
Children: Daz and Betty
Alma Mater: Montana State (’04)
Cooper Timeline
Since arriving at Montana in the spring of ‘22, Cooper has helped produce some of the best defenses in FCS football and helped mentor some of the program’s all-time great defenders.
In 2023 Montana put out one of the most historic defenses in program history en route to the FCS National Championship. Montana allowed just 108.5 yards per game rushing that season – the third fewest in the FCS and a Big Sky-low. Those 108.5 yards were the second fewest of the last decade allowed by the Griz as well.
Montana also picked off 17 passes that season – the fourth most in the FCS and the second most at UM in the last decade – and finished the year with a Big Sky-best total in turnover margin (+9) and turnovers gained (24).
All told the 2023 Griz gave up the third fewest total yards per game in program just over 314 yards, the third fewest in program history, and 17.2 points per game – the fewest in the Big Sky and fifth fewest in the FCS.
As safeties coach, Cooper helped Robby Hauck become the Big Sky Conference’s all-time leading tackler in 2022.
Moving to linebacker coach in ’23 he helped mentor Braxton Hill, who led the Big Sky in tackles with 128 on the season, one of the top-10 tackling years ever in program history. Hill, a former walk on from Anaconda, was a finalist for the Buck Buchanan Award that season as well. Cooper also helped Riley Wilson make the switch from tight end at Hawaii to linebacker at Montana, finishing his first year in the FCS second in the Big Sky in tackles for loss and fifth in sacks in ’23.
In March of 2022 Cooper returned to the state of Montana after spending 10 years at Idaho State, where he most recently served as the associate head coach, defensive coordinator, and linebacker coach under Rob Phenicie.
Cooper was an All-American linebacker at Montana State. He then began his coaching career at Bozeman High School before serving as a graduate assistant for the Bobcats in 2011.
He began coaching at ISU the following year when he was hired by long-time Big Sky coach Mike Kramer to lead the Bengals’ running backs, eventually working his way up to defensive coordinator in 2018.
At Idaho State, Cooper mentored some of the top linebackers in the Big Sky Conference, including the league’s 2014 Freshman of the Year and three-time all-conference pick Mario Jenkins.
Jenkins, who finished fourth in the voting for the Jerry Rice Award given to the top freshman in the FCS and went on to earn an NFL mini-camp invite from the Kansas City Chiefs, was one of 18 all-conference selections for Cooper’s defensive units in his 10 years with the program.
Led by Cooper, ISU’s linebacking unit in 2016 was one of the best in the Big Sky, with Jenkins earning second-team all-conference and Joe Martin earning third-team honors. The trio of Jenkins, Martin, and Hayden Stout combined for 259 tackles, six interceptions, five sacks, 16 tackles for loss, and two fumble recoveries that season.
Prior to his time at Idaho State, Cooper served as a graduate assistant at MSU in 2011.
Before working at his alma mater, he coached at Bozeman High School in 2010, where he helped the Hawks win the program’s first state championship since 1917 as the coordinator of the top-ranked defense in the state.
As a player, Cooper was a standout linebacker who earned first-team All-Big Sky honors in three-straight seasons (2002-2004) and was named the Big Sky defensive MVP in 2004. He was also a second-team All-American and a starter on an MSU defense that helped snap Montana’s 16-game win streak in 2002.
He then spent three seasons in the NFL and NFL Europe from 2005-2007, with stints in Dallas, San Francisco, San Diego, and Frankfurt, Germany, before suffering a career-ending injury.
The Cooper File
Hometown: Port Orchard, Wash. (South Kitsap High School)
Wife: Jessica
Children: Daz and Betty
Alma Mater: Montana State (’04)
Cooper Timeline
| 2012 | Idaho State (RB) |
| 2013 | Idaho State (Co-DC/LB) |
| 2016-17 | Idaho State (AHC/Co-DC/LB) |
| 2018-21 | Idaho State (AHC/DC/LB) |
| 2022 | Montana (S) |
| 2023 | Montana (LB) |
| 2024-Present | Montana (Co-DC/LB) |
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