Cooper Mathers wrapped up his junior year at Washington State, Mathers racked up 21 receptions for 251 yards and a touchdown, this adding another chapter to his unique path to becoming the Cougs starting tight end. 

Mathers had dreams of playing division one football, however, wasn't highly recruited coming out of O'Dea High School in Seattle, "I wasn't highly recruited at all, I was mainly talking to D3 coaches. I was trying to get a walk on spot from any D1 school, just to try it out and see how far I could take it."  

While Mathers was still searching for any kind of division one opportunity, he finally got a call from Washington State, "Out of nowhere WSU and our old special teams coach called me during covid and asked, 'Do you want to come here as a walk on?' I hung up and talked with my dad, and I quickly called back and said, 'Yup, I'm going.'" 

With Mathers finally landing a division one opportunity, a change in schools wasn't the only change in line for Mathers, but also a change in position. During his time in high school Mathers played tight end and strong safety, however, when he got to Washington State the coaching staff decided he would be a better fit at linebacker.  

Mathers spent his first year mainly on scout team trying to carve out some kind of role on the team, "My mindset was to get on special teams, try to get on special teams and take it from there, just getting on the field is the best thing for a walk on." Mathers saw his first college football action his freshman year in a game at USC, appearing on kick return. Mathers continued to spend time on scout team, slowly earned more playing time his second season appearing in 11 games in 2021 and recording two tackles in a win against Portland State.  

Entering his third season in Pullman, as a sophomore, a change in the offense's philosophy would also create huge opportunity for his role on this team too. Head Coach Jake Dickert introduced a facet of the offense that hadn't been seen in years at Washington State, the use of tight ends. Mathers was primally a linebacker on scout team, however, he also played tight end. When Mathers heard the news of the change in offense, he knew his love for the position and the opportunity to help the offense was a perfect fit. 

Despite playing linebacker on scout team his first two seasons, Mathers made a seamless transition to being a full-time tight end, and credited a lot of the work on scout team that helped his transition. "Playing on scout team showed me how to just go to work, getting your ass kicked by RJ Stone and Brennan Jackson definitely humbles you but it helps you, you're going against some good players to get you ready for PAC-12 play." 

Mathers contributed early on this past season, recording three catches for 40 yards in the season opening win at Colorado State. Mathers recorded a catch of over 20-yards in each of his first three games. Mathers at 2 catches at no. 9 Oregon, caught three more passes at Arizona State, and made 3 catches at home against Standford. Mathers broke out at California, where he set seasons with five receptions for 49 yards including his first-career touchdown.  

Mathers finished the season with 21 catches for 251 yards and a touchdown, the most catches and receiving yards by a Cougar tight end since Cody Boyd and Jed Collins in 2006. 

Not only has Mathers earned himself a role in the Coug offense, but also earned himself a scholarship. "We were in a team meeting and then out of nowhere Coach Dickert surprised me and announced I earned a scholarship, then the team kind of mobbed me but it was cool just to have all my teammates share that moment with me. I had a lot of hard work finally paid off, I had put in a lot of hard work and dreamt of being on scholarship and playing PAC-12 football. So, to be able to actually accomplish it when a lot of times it didn't look like it was possible, it was definitely pretty sweet." 

As Mathers begins to prepare for his senior season there is a lot for Coug fans to be excited about and the emergence of Mathers in the passing game as he gives an element to the offense they haven't had in years.