On Monday, Wisconsin filled one of their coaching vacancies by promoting defensive assistant and senior analyst Jack Cooper to Safeties coach according to Matt Zenitz.
Wisconsin is promoting Jack Cooper to safeties coach, a source tells @CBSSports/@247Sports.
— Matt Zenitz (@mzenitz) December 31, 2024
Cooper has worked at Wisconsin the last two seasons after three years as the defensive coordinator at Rhode Island. Previously worked at Nebraska and UCF. pic.twitter.com/NSV8pgsMLp
Cooper has worked for Wisconsin the past two seasons as an assistant and senior analyst. He'll now take over as Safeties coach for Alex Grinch, who left to take the defensive coordinator job at UCF. The promotion comes off a year in which Cooper helped to develop players like Xavier Lucas, Max Lofy and more. He was previously the defensive coordinator at Rhode Island prior to his time at Wisconsin.
Cooper Hired As Safeties Coach with One Role Still Left to Fill
The hire now leaves one important role still left to be filled for Luke Fickell: his quarterbacks coach. After hiring Jeff Grimes as the new offensive coordinator, fans have been eagerly awaiting to see who he will name as the QB coach to guide Billy Edwards Jr., Danny O'Neil and Carter Smith. It looks like Fickell and Grimes are taking their time, however, and fans will have to wait a bit longer for the news.
Still, word around the building is that everyone is excited for the Cooper promotion. It comes as some welcomed good news to a defensive back room that hasn't had much of it lately. After most of the unit was decimated by the portal, including a public feud involving Xavier Lucas, the hire starts a new exciting chapter for the Wisconsin secondary.
With Hunter Wohler graduating, Cooper will be tasked with developing a group including Preston Zachman and transfers Matt Jung and Matthew Traynor.