Highly-touted left tackle who enters his senior campaign with 34 consecutive starts.
2013: Co-captain and starter in all 12 games at left tackle ... Earned All-MVFC honorable mention laurels ... Was part of a Bears offensive line quintet that never missed a start in 2013 and helped MSU compile 343.4 yards per game while allowing just 1.33 sacks per game -- which ranked 26th in the nation ... Completed 98% of his assignments with a 79 percent technique/performance grade and 40 knockdown blocks ... Earned MSU Offensive Lineman of the Week for win at Southern Illinois (11/9/13) ... Earned game ball from coaching staff in win over No. 15 South Dakota State (10/19/13) ... Protected blind side for a unit that allowed the fewest sacks (9) and produced second-most rushing yards (1,484) of any MVFC school in league games ... Named to Athletic Director[apos]s Honor Roll for fall 2013 semester as well as MVFC Honor Roll.
2012: Was the Bears[apos] starting left tackle in all 11 games as a sophomore ... Part of an MSU offensive line that surrendered just 15 sacks on the season and averaged 327.5 yards per game ... Earned MSU Offensive Lineman of the Week honors three times for home games against Murray State (9/15/12) and South Dakota (10/13/12) as well as the road win at No. 11 Illinois State (10/20/13) ... Named to AD[apos]s Honor Roll in spring 2013.
2011: Started all 11 games at left tackle for the Bears in 2011 ... Had an assignment grade of 98 percent for the season and an execution grade of 75 percent ... His overall season grade of 82 percent was highlighted by 57 knock-down blocks ... Earned a spot on the inaugural College Sports Journal FCS Freshman All-America Team ... Named MSU Offensive Lineman of the Week on Oct. 22 for win at Western Illinois.
2010: Redshirted his first year at Missouri State ... Earned Athletic Director[apos]s Honor Roll status in spring of 2011 after turning in a solid 3.53 GPA for the semester.
High School: Named a Missouri second-team all-state offensive tackle in 2009 by both the coaches and sportswriters for Coach Will Christian at Lebanon High ... Earned first-team all-conference, all-district and All-Ozarks first-team distinction at offensive tackle and defensive end for the Yellowjackets ... Claimed first-team Academic All-State honors ... In 2008, he was an honorable mention on the all-conference and all-district teams ... Began his football career at Lebanon High as a tight end ... Was also a three-year starter for the basketball team ... Threw shot put and discus for the track and field squad ... Participated in the 2010 Missouri Lions Club All-Star Game.
Personal: Zachary Ray Cooley was born 9/12/91 in Lake of the Ozarks, Mo. ... Son of the late Tony Cooley and Anna Cooley Henson of Lebanon, Mo. ... Has three siblings, Nick Maddux, Alex Cooley and Sam Henson ... His brother Alex also plays at MSU ... Grandfather, Bill Maddux, attended MSU in the 1960s ... He was also recruited by Northern Iowa and Southern Illinois ... Majoring in General Business.
