The word “new” can be used a lot around the Cooper football program this season.
New coach. New quarterback. New contributors.
Still, the focus and standards remain the same as ever at 2855 Longbranch Road in Union.
Here’s five things to know about the Jaguars as they approach the 2026 season:
The Begley Era
For 18 years, Randy Borchers was the face of Cooper football.
Borchers built the program from the ground up, leading Cooper to 118 wins, four region championships and three Class 5A state championship appearances.
Now, new head coach Adam Begley gets his chance to build on what Borchers created.
Begley has been involved with the program since 2014.
“It’s been different, but I have a great coaching staff that’s been the backbone of everything and has made it pretty easy,” Begley said. “Being with Randy the last few years and watching how he ran the program, there’s not a better coach running a program better than he did.”
It’s different for some of the returning players, but it has also brought excitement.
“He’s awesome,” senior Corey Freihofer said. “It’s sad to not play for Borchers, but I’m really glad to finish my career off with Coach Begley.”
Firefighting and Football
What else is Adam Begley is doing besides leading the Jaguars?
Instead of leading 16-, 17- and 18-year-olds on the football field, he’s leading firefighters ranging in age from 19 to 60.
Begley serves as a battalion chief for the Florence Fire/EMS Department, a senior-level leadership position in which he oversees 26 firefighters across four stations.
While the ages and settings are different, many of the same leadership principles carry over from the firehouse to the gridiron.
“Leadership is leadership across the board,” Begley said. “The players have learned this, and just like at work, these are my expectations. I won’t lower the bar for you, you have to meet it. I tell the kids, if it’s important to you, you’re going to make it happen. In the firehouse, we trust our training, and that translates here. Trust what you’ve been taught and work as a team.”
Pressure Comes Standard
In the past three seasons, Cooper went 34-8, posted a 10-2 playoff record and reached two Class 5A state championship games.
Among the departures are four-year starting quarterback and Western Kentucky University quarterback Cam O’Hara, one of the top passers in KHSAA history, program record setter at running back Keagan Maher, leading receiver and interception leader Ryker Campbell, kicker Eyler Tibbs and the team’s top four tacklers.
With so much production to replace, it would be easy to wonder whether expectations have changed.
They haven’t.
Despite the roster turnover and a new head coach, the Jaguars say the expectations that comes with the program’s success is part of wearing the maroon and gold.
“The expectations don’t change,” senior Carson Clark said. “I think we’re still in for a successful season. People may count us out because we lost a lot of key players, but I think we can be just as good.”
Keeping Cooper Rolling
Graduation left Cooper with plenty of holes to fill, but the Jaguars aren’t searching for one player to replace last year’s stars.
Instead, they’re counting on a new group of contributors to collectively carry the program forward.
That group includes offensive linemen Trevor Johnson and Owen Flamm, running back Kody Meyer, quarterback Zach Kostopolis, linebacker Christian Inabnit, defensive end Carson Clark and wide receiver/safety Corey Freihofer.
One player coach Adam Begley has leaned on since taking over the program is Inabnit. After appearing in just seven games and recording 26 tackles last season, the senior is expected to play a much larger role in 2026.
“I didn’t get much playing time, so I’m hoping to ramp it up,” Inabnit said. “I’m just trying to be a leader out there and help everyone get better. I want to help continue what Cooper football has been for many years.”
Life After O’Hara
It’s been since 2021 since someone not named Cam O’Hara has been the starting quarterback at Cooper.
O’Hara finished his career with 11,227 passing yards and 146 passing touchdowns, numbers that rank among the best in Northern Kentucky and KHSAA history.
Now, O’Hara is no longer wearing a Cooper uniform.
The next man up is sophomore Zach Kostopoulos.
Kostopoulos hasn’t attempted a pass in a varsity game, but coach Adam Begley is plenty familiar with him, as Begley was an important part of the Cooper Jaguars youth football program.
“I actually made him a quarterback in third grade, and I’ve known him as he’s grown up and his family,” Begley said. “As freshman coach, I made him my quarterback, too, so having that bond helps because he knows what I want out of him.”
Kostopoulos will become the 11th starting quarterback in the history of the program.
We’re previewing all 22 NKY football teams from July 27-August 17. Check out five things to know about each team below:
