ORONO – Stephen Cooper arrived at the University of Maine in 1998 for his official NCAA recruiting visit – sight unseen.

Cooper, an all-state football and basketball star at Wareham (Mass.) High School, came highly recommended to coach Jack Cosgrove by a former Black Bear teammate, Wareham coach David Harrison.

Cosgrove trusts his contacts, but he admits he had no idea what an impact Cooper would have.

Three years later, Cooper is the focal point of the Bears’ defense. The 6-foot-1, 230-pounder has developed into a dominating force at inside linebacker.

“I’ve never been around anybody, since I’ve been here, that’s as talented at that position,” Cosgrove said. “It’s the combination of his speed, his size.”

Cooper is UMaine’s defensive catalyst. He leads the team and ranks fourth in the Atlantic 10 with 56 tackles (11.2 per game) and he is tops in the league averaging 2.0 tackles for a loss.

Of his 56 tackles, 40 (71 percent) have been unassisted. He has made two sacks and one interception.

In paraphrasing comments made by Richmond coach Jim Reid, “‘He ran around us, through us, over us and when he got there, he was in a bad mood,'” Cosgrove said in trying to sum up Cooper’s efforts.

Cooper was a sought-after player for both football and basketball coming out of high school, but didn’t make his decision until late.

“On signing day at my high school, I didn’t know if I wanted to play basketball or football,” Cooper admitted. “I had a basketball coach on one line and a football coach on the other.”

Cooper wanted to attend the U.S. Naval Academy. His first stop was at the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Rhode Island, which he left prematurely in March of 1998.

“It was hard for me playing football, doing the military thing and academics,” Cooper said.

That opened the door for UMaine. Harrison put Cosgrove in touch with Cooper, who played at a small Division 5 school. The official visit changed everything.

“All of a sudden it was, ‘Wow, coach! Wow, coach!” Cosgrove said of his staff’s reaction. “The players on the team said, ‘You ought to go out in the gym. Cooper’s jamming basketballs right and left.’ He’s just a phenomenal athlete.”

The UMaine staff envisioned Cooper as a defensive player. In 1998, he enrolled at school late, which helped make the decision to redshirt him easier. It was a transition year Cooper admitted he needed to get back up to speed.

A year later, he was ready. Cooper played in all 11 games as a freshman, ranking third on the team with 74 tackles.

“He could have played tailback or quarterback here,” Cosgrove offered. “As talented as he was, he was learning as he went.”

Last season, he pushed his total to a team-high 84 tackles with four fumble recoveries.

“He was one of those guys that really typified our defense,” Cosgrove said. “He got significantly better as the year went along.”

Cooper, the first member of his family to attend college, is the unquestioned leader of the defense. He relishes his leadership role.

“I like pressure on my shoulders,” said Cooper, whose dedication in the weight room has help turn him from a 180-pound high school senior to a punishing, 230-pound college junior.

“I’ve seen a big difference this year,” Cooper said, citing the results of the strength and conditioning program set up by coach Jim St. Pierre. “Last year, I used to get grabbed a lot and held a lot. This year, I’m getting off blocks better. The weight room is a big key in my success.”

Cooper’s responsibilities include containing the run, pressuring opposing quarterbacks and defending the pass. He has benefitted from having three different linebacker coaches, each of whom has taught him some different aspects.

He also credits the improving play of the Bears’ defensive line, which makes his job easier.

“All the credit goes to the defensive linemen,” Cooper said. “They hold up the offensive guys really well, which frees up myself and [safety] Dave [Cusano] to make plays.”

Cooper’s future appears bright.

“He has a tremendous physical gift and he’s learned the defense because he’s a great student of the game,” Cosgrove said. “He’s really got an exciting future for himself in this game.”

Cooper, who dreams about the chance to play pro football, remains focused on team goals.

“I always put my team before myself, so it’s definitely a team effort,” Cooper said. “We all have the same goals. We want to achieve the same things.”