Upcoming Event: Equestrian at Baylor on September 17, 2026 at 11 a.m.
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11 a.m.
Equestrian
at Baylor
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South Dakota State University Athletics
Staff Directory
Deontae Cooper
- Title:
- Running Backs Coach/Recruiting Coordinator
- Email:
Deontae Cooper joined the South Dakota State coaching staff in January 2025 and serves as the Jackrabbits' running backs coach, as well as recruiting coordinator.
In his first season at SDSU, Cooper worked with graduate transfer Julius Loughridge, who recorded a 1,000-yard season and was honored on the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team. The rest of the Jackrabbit running back room largely consisted of a trio of true freshmen — James Basinger, Corey Blair Jr. and Josiah Johnson — who were pressed into duty and combined for more than 700 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2025 campaign.
Cooper arrived at SDSU after serving as running backs coach at Idaho in 2024, where he helped lead the Vandals to a 10-win season and a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals.
From 2019-23, Cooper was head coach at Highline High School in Burien, Washington, where his squads went undefeated in league play three consecutive seasons and advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals in 2022 and quarterfinals in 2023.
Cooper overcame a series of injuries to rush for 555 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons at the University of Washington. He was selected as a team captain for one season and later earned a tryout with the Oakland Raiders before embarking on his coaching career as a recruiting assistant at Washington in 2017.
In his first season at SDSU, Cooper worked with graduate transfer Julius Loughridge, who recorded a 1,000-yard season and was honored on the Missouri Valley Football Conference All-Newcomer Team. The rest of the Jackrabbit running back room largely consisted of a trio of true freshmen — James Basinger, Corey Blair Jr. and Josiah Johnson — who were pressed into duty and combined for more than 700 yards and 12 touchdowns during the 2025 campaign.
Cooper arrived at SDSU after serving as running backs coach at Idaho in 2024, where he helped lead the Vandals to a 10-win season and a berth in the Football Championship Subdivision quarterfinals.
From 2019-23, Cooper was head coach at Highline High School in Burien, Washington, where his squads went undefeated in league play three consecutive seasons and advanced to the Class 2A state semifinals in 2022 and quarterfinals in 2023.
Cooper overcame a series of injuries to rush for 555 yards and three touchdowns over two seasons at the University of Washington. He was selected as a team captain for one season and later earned a tryout with the Oakland Raiders before embarking on his coaching career as a recruiting assistant at Washington in 2017.
Tuesday, September 15
Tuesday, September 15
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