Camron Cooper's journey to becoming UTSA’s star outside linebacker and a single-digit jersey recipient has been anything but easy.
Originally a three-star recruit and a two-way player out of Dayton High School, Cooper had a host of schools interested in his services. He was dominant on both sides of the ball for the Broncos, earning first-team all-district honors as both a defensive lineman and a tight end. It was head coach Jeff Traylor and his values that made the Roadrunners stand out from the pack, and what has kept him in navy and orange since 2022.
“It was the way the players held themselves to the highest standards possible,” Cooper said. “just being here, surrounded by people who are always trying to build each other up. That’s the thing I love about this place and what I value most. I want to enjoy my time here, and I don’t want to have any regrets. I want to make sure I leave a positive impact on this place.”
In his freshman season, Cooper suited up four times at tight end and caught his first career pass in a 51-7 victory over Louisiana Tech. Across the 2023 season, he saw action in all 13 games, primarily as a special teamer, and helped UTSA to its first-ever bowl victory. While sitting in his hotel room ahead of the Frisco Bowl, he pondered his future as a tight end.
“I was just thinking that we have a lot of dudes at tight end, and I played defense in high school. I just looked in the mirror and came to my senses. I talked to Coach Traylor and Coach (Jess) Loepp about it, and once we came back from our break, they let me make the switch. Originally, I was a middle linebacker, then I flipped to the outside, and I’m forever grateful for that. At first, they were kind of iffy about it, and they didn’t know if I had that edge. So, I tried to show them I had the edge, and I was always going to have it. I feel like the switch helped me elevate my game and produce more.”
The 2024 season brought 13 more appearances, a first career start and a Myrtle Beach Bowl championship. The 2025 campaign, however, saw disaster strike when he suffered a season-ending injury in the opener against No. 19 Texas A&M after making a tackle.
“The first thing I said was ‘Why me?’ I think every athlete that’s had an injury like that, that’s the first question. I remember looking down at my leg, and I knew something was wrong because I couldn’t put any pressure on it.”
Throughout the process, his teammates kept him going.
“I got surgery the day of the Texas State game, and I remember watching the guys play. Man, they battled. That’s what gave me hope. I knew no matter what, they weren’t going to stop, so why would I stop? It comes back to how much I value the people here. They always took care of me; guys who didn’t need to go to the training room were coming in every day and checking on me. So, I had to tell myself, ‘There’s no point in feeling sorry for yourself’ because there’s a kid willing to be in my position as a division one football player for me to not take advantage of it. I put my head down and went to work.”
Cooper became his teammates' biggest fans while he recovered.
“I was just trying to be positive. If something negative happened, I’d let them know to move on to the next play, keep going, keep playing, something good’s going to happen, make up for it. The biggest thing was being there in any way I could. Even on away games when I didn’t travel, I sat there texting them to keep going, even though they didn’t have their phones and couldn’t respond.”
Despite the adversity, Cooper persevered, grew into a leader on the team and was voted by his teammates and coaches to wear the prestigious No. 1 jersey for the 2026 campaign.
“I wasn’t expecting it at all. I feel like I still haven’t left my mark, and my biggest goal for the season was to be as good as possible and stay healthy. Once I heard I got that number, I felt a lot of pride because the team sees me like that. You never know what to expect after being out all last year. It’s just such a blessing, because that number means something to this program and it helps hold me to a higher standard.”
Reflecting on his journey, Cooper acknowledged that it helped him grow into the leader and player he is today.
“I learned patience and perseverance from taking a step back and watching guys like Owen McCown and Owen Pewee. I’ve always been around great leaders since I got here, guys like Frank Harris, Rashad Wisdom, JT Clark and all the guys up front. The one I really watched the most was Jamal Ligon. He didn’t say a lot, but he would always show you. That’s what a leader does.”
UTSA’s motto for the season is Ubuntu, something that Cooper unequivocally represents.
“I am because we are. That’s everything. It’s like if Owen Pewee makes a play, we all make a play. So, whatever happens, it’s all of us. There is no me without the team. We’re just one team, and we’ve all got to come together. It’s not a me thing; it’s a we thing.”