Cooper, Botts are terrific Tigers
- Updated: August 13, 2015
Going 5-5 seems so middle of the road or even mediocre but that was far from true for Bethel-Tate in 2014. Prior to finishing last season at .500 the Tigers went 1-9, 2-8, 0-10 and 1-9 the four prior years. In context, going 5-5 was a huge step forward for head coach Bill Jenike and the program.
Two players who were a large part of the Tigers success last fall were QB/DB/RS Jeffrey Botts and RB/LB Stephen Cooper. They return this year as optimism spews out of Bethel, Ohio. Botts is a senior and Cooper will be a junior.
Botts is one of the more interesting players in Southwest Ohio. As a quarterback he completed just three on just 17 pass attempts as a junior. He never threw more than four passes in a game for the grind it out Bethel-Tate offense. Botts shined in other parts of the game running for 508 yards with 10 total touchdowns (eight rushing) while racking up 1,264 all-purpose yards. On defense he was in on 88 total tackles (56 solo) with an interception. Despite being the starting quarterback Jenike needed Botts to return punts and kickoffs. He did it well averaging 23.9 on kickoff returns, 21.7 on punt returns while returning one of each for scores.
Cooper is the hammer for the Tigers. He racked up 1,375 yards and nine touchdowns rushing as a sophomore. He is the heart and soul in the middle of the Betel-Tate defense. In two varsity season Cooper has racked up 171 total tackles (126 solo) with eight sacks, six forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
The mega-productive duo were First Team All-SBAAC National performers in ’14. Already a three-year letterman, Botts will head into his senior campaign with 1,790 all-purpose yards and 170 total tackles (120 solo) during his career. Cooper goes into ’15 having run for 100 yards or more in his last four games including a 318 yard outburst versus Clermont Northeastern and 304 yard effort against Williamsburg.
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