2025 Interview with Cooper Benke from Highlands High School (KY)

 

Cooper Benke

Highlands High School

Defensive End/Edge

2027

6’5.5, 235 lbs

Jersey Number 63

Awards won or earned 2023-24 Highlands Big Stick Award, 2024-25 Highlands Defensive Player of the Year

How long have you played football, and who or what got you started?

 I have played football practically my entire life. In the Benke household, we are encouraged to play the 3 major sports: football, baseball, and basketball. I found out at an early age that my passion and heart were in football.

What makes being a member of the Highland football team special?

 Being a member of the Highlands football team is special because of how the community runs and is fueled by Highlands football, playing for a prestigious coach like Coach Sphire, and the greatest of them all is being surrounded by a band of brothers that will take on anything.

Would you share with the readers some of the camps you are attending along with what you are hoping to achieve at the camps?

June 3rd—Indiana University

June 5th—Georgia Tech

June 8th—Louisville

June 11th—Purdue

June 16th—Kentucky

June 17th—Cincinnati

June 19th—Middle Tennessee

What I hope to achieve at these camps is to get my name out there and to establish more and more connections with coaches.

What part of your game do you believe is the strongest?

Definitely my pass rushing. These quarterbacks have at most 2 seconds to throw the ball this year.

What are your personal goals for the season?

 Some of my personal goals this season are to start the season weighing around 240 lbs., get my bench into the 300s and squat into the 420s, and to add more pass rush moves to my arsenal.

What goals are you placing on your team?

 Highland’s 24th state title.

Who is the best player that you have faced in a game, along with the team he was on?

 The best player I played against in the game has to be Cam O’Hara. He doesn’t really sit in the pocket and gets the ball out in 1-2 seconds, which makes life hard for pass rushers.

Who is the toughest teammate to square up against during practice?

 The toughest teammate to go against in practice is Tayden Lorenzen because of the uncertainty of him either blocking or going out for a pass. There is no one that can stop me during practice, though.

What makes you a good teammate?

 I will uplift my teammates and never let their heads drop. I will teach them what it means to be a Highlands Bluebird, and I will help them achieve their goals for the good of the team.

If you could move one of your games to Paycor Stadium and pick an opponent from across the river, who are you picking and why?

 I would pick none other than Moeller. I would pick Moeller because they too are rich in winning, and I want to play the best competition.

Which road stadium that you have played in has had the best atmosphere, along with the thing that made it so good?

 Cov Cath because of their student section. Whenever Highlands and Cov Cath play, a ton of people show up and the energy is electric.

Do you feel that private schools have an unfair advantage over public schools?

 In some sense because they can recruit and bring in players from other states, but life isn’t fair, and we will still beat them.

Have you been to a Florence Y'alls baseball game?

 No, but I watched Highlands baseball win the 9th region for baseball there a couple of days ago.

Have you watched any of the UFL spring football games?

 Only a little; the team from Birmingham has been killing it.

Where is the best local spot to grab a pizza?

 Definitely LaRosa’s.

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