Omar Cooper Jr. didn’t need much time to remind the New York Jets what he can do.
In just his second game after finally being activated, the rookie wideout broke loose down the middle of the field, stacked the defense and turned in a moment that had been delayed by a high-ankle sprain. Geno Smith found him for a 48-yard touchdown, the first scoring catch of Cooper’s NFL career, and it helped the Jets trim the New England Patriots’ lead to 17-10 with 10:24 left in the third quarter.
By that point, Cooper had already put together an eye-catching line: three catches on three targets for 73 yards and the touchdown.
The former Indiana University receiver was selected 30th overall in the first round of the NFL Draft in April, and he arrived in the league with a reputation as an explosive playmaker. At 6-foot, the Lawrence North graduate had shown that same big-play ability at Indiana football, where he helped the program reach a national championship.
Cooper had flashed earlier this season, too. In the opener on Sept. 13, he hauled in a 30-yard catch before the injury sidelined him.
His touchdown also fits into a wave of recent Indiana football alumni reaching the NFL stage. Fernando Mendoza made his career debut for the Las Vegas Raiders on Oct. 11 in mop-up duty after going first overall, and Kahlil Benson started Week 1 for the Kansas City Chiefs after joining as an undrafted free agent. Other IU debuts this season have included Kaelon Black, a second-round pick who is rising to splitting snaps with Christian McCaffery and the San Francisco 49ers.
In Other News...
Indiana's Offensive Usage Just Created A Bigger Debate After Ohio State
Even in a 19-15 loss to Ohio State that left Indiana at 6-1, the bigger conversation is not just what the offense did, but how the snaps were distributed. The Hoosiers leaned on a mix of personnel that produced a few clear bright spots, from quarterback Josh Hoovers efficient touchdown-to-interception profile to the way wide receiver Charlie Becker emerged as the most productive and best-graded weapon in the passing game.
The usage chart also sharpened the debate in the backfield and along the line. Turbo Richard saw a heavier snap share than Lee Beebe Jr., while the offensive line held up better in pass protection than in run blocking, leaving the ground game with less room to breathe than the passing game had. For Indiana, that split matters now, because the numbers suggest the offense has pieces that can travel, but not yet a fully settled formula for how to use them. [Read more 🡒]
Indianas First Loss Just Put More Pressure On Michigan Trip
The 22-game run is over, and Indiana suddenly finds itself heading into a bigger test with a little less margin for error. The Hoosiers fell 19-15 to Ohio State in a Top-5 matchup, a loss that snapped the longest streak in the country and served as a reminder that the room for disappointment is small at this point in the season.
Even with several other highly ranked teams losing around them, Indiana still slipped a spot to No. 6 in the AP Poll, a sign that the Hoosiers did not get much help from the weekend results. Now the focus turns to a Week 8 trip to Michigan, where Indiana will have to show the Ohio State loss was a stumble rather than the start of a slide. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Calls Out What Indiana Must Fix Before Michigan
Curt Cignetti did not sugarcoat what went wrong after Indianas narrow loss, and the list started with the kinds of mistakes that can swing a tight game before it ever settles in. Missed field goals and turnovers were front and center in his postgame message, along with the broader issue of execution that kept the Hoosiers from making the most of their opportunities. With Michigan next on the schedule, the margin for those lapses gets even thinner.
Cignetti also pointed to the offensive balance Indiana needs to find, along with sharper quarterback accuracy, as the staff turns quickly to correction mode. The bigger concern now is not just fixing the details, but doing it while keeping the group mentally tough enough to carry those lessons through the rest of the season. Saturdays setback left little doubt about what has to improve first, and the Wolverines offer an immediate test of whether those adjustments can take hold. [Read more 🡒]