USU Football’s new QB1: Cooper Legas

LOGAN — Last season, Utah State Football found themselves down 7-0 early in the Jimmy Kimmel LA Bowl against Oregon State. Following an injury to quarterback Logan Bonner, the Aggies needed a new arm and some offensive firepower.

One play and 62 yards later, the Aggies had tied it. The third-string quarterback on the depth chart, sophomore Cooper Legas, checked in and launched his first career pass nearly 45 yards downfield and caught wide receiver Deven Thompkins in stride, who ran the next 20 yards into the endzone.

First career pass, first career touchdown.

It was so unexpected the TV broadcasters were not sure how to say his name. For anyone wondering, it’s Luh-GAH.

The pass caught the attention of Mac Jones, quarterback for the New England Patriots, who commented on a TikTok video of the throw posted by CBS Sports, which received over 3 million views.

“Looks like he changed the play at the line too. Dime guy,” Jones wrote.

“I don’t have TikTok, but I had a couple of people show it to me. So yeah, it was cool. I think just the whole bowl game thing blowing up was pretty cool,” Legas said. “Everyone saw that, so people know who I am just from that. Now I’m excited to not just be that guy in the bowl game.”

The pass-touchdown combo was just a glimpse of what Aggie fans got when Legas stepped into the game. Utah State would go on a 17-3 scoring run and ended up winning the game 24-13, capping off a historic season for the program with a bowl victory.

Legas finished the game with 11 completions on 20 attempts with 171 passing yards, two touchdowns, a 34-yard reception and one interception.

“I feel like throughout my career, I’ve been fun to watch. So I hope I can maintain that. I have won a lot of games in my career,” Legas said. “I think I’m just an exciting player that can make plays.”

Legas played high school football in Utah County at Orem High School. Surrounded by talent – including BYU transfers Kingsley Suamataia and Puka Nacua, and Oregon linebacker Noah Sewell – Legas helped the Golden Tigers win two state titles in 2017 and 2018.

In 2017, Legas’ junior season, he threw 4,115 yards with 45 touchdowns, and rushed 1,076 yards with seven touchdowns. Legas threw 11 more touchdowns than the next closest player in only two more games played, and he finished first in passing yards with 900 more than the next player.

“He is as coachable as they come,” said Jeremy Hill, former Orem football coach. “Most coachable kid I have ever had, and I coached from sixth grade throughout high school.”

But Legas didn’t just win in football. He is a two-time state champion in two other sports. Along with two football state championships (2017, 2018), Legas won two javelin state championships (2017, 2018) and two wrestling state championships (2018, 2019).

“From his state championships in wrestling, football, javelin, he’s a winner. He may not ‘wow’ you on every throw, but he will find a way to win,” said Hill.

Hill isn’t the only person to say Legas is a winner. You can also hear it from his wide receiver.

“He knows how to win, and he’s going to keep fighting. You just know he is never going to give up,” said senior wideout Justin McGriff. “He’s never going to get mad; he’s going to motivate and keep a smile on his face.”

In the 2018 season of high school football, Legas showed up again. Totaling 46 passing touchdowns and 4338 passing yards, Legas earned himself a three-star recruiting ranking and committed to Utah State, beating out interests from BYU, Navy, Air Force and Arkansas.

Three years later, Legas is the starting quarterback for the Aggies.

Cooper Legas warms up before the Weber State game. Photo by Heidi Bingham.

“My family were the first ones to find out I was starting. It wasn’t really public until the day of the game that I was the one starting,” Legas said. “They know all the work I’ve put in, so they were confident in me, which helped me be confident in myself.”

Though playing starting QB might be nerve-racking for some, when it comes to playing in front of large crowds, it’s all the same to Legas.

“I think we could be playing on the practice field or at Alabama, LSU. It doesn’t matter. At the end of the day, once the game actually starts, all I care about is 22 guys on the field,” Legas said. “It’s just focused on what our guys are doing and what their defense is doing.”

Legas has seen time already this season as a backup, appearing in two games against No. 1 Alabama and Weber State. But Legas’ first start would be against a Top 25 program he grew up just 3.8 miles away from — BYU.

In the first drive, Legas and the Aggies came out on fire, putting together a 12-play drive in under five minutes. Legas ran the ball on a read option from seven yards out, stiff-arming a defender and scoring early to put the Aggies up 7-0.

“I always thought I could play college football at this level,” Legas said.

Despite going down 7-14 after a pass was deflected into a linebacker’s arms, Legas stayed strong and drove down the field to get one more touchdown. A 14-yard pass to senior wideout Brian Cobbs had the Aggies tied 17-17 going into halftime.

“Cooper is a great player and a great leader,” Cobbs said. “We knew he was going to come in amped up, confident, ready to go. That was the best half of football we have played all year.”

Despite a tough second half that resulted in an 26-38 Aggie loss, Legas showed he is ready to be QB1, throwing for 188 yards on 19 for 31 passing and two touchdowns. Legas also had 18 carries for 59 yards but was sacked twice for seven yards. Along with running back Calvin Tyler Jr., Legas helped lead Utah State to their best rushing game of the season, totaling 211 rushing yards.

According to Hill, the rest of the season will bring more impressive performances from Legas.

“He is only going to get better, Aggie fans,” Hill said.

But for Legas, it’s not just about the game. He wants to be known for how he acts off the field as well.

“I’m just a regular fella off the field. Just another dude who plays football. So if you see me or want to talk to me, I’ll try to be nice and friendly like a normal person,” Legas said.

Hill complimented Legas on his character off the field.

“You couldn’t ask for a better kid, teammate or friend,” Hill said. “Cooper is just a phenomenal, hardworking young man.”

Legas has been playing football since elementary school under the tutelage of former college football players. His father, Adam Legas, played QB for BYU, Utah Tech and BYU-Idaho, and his grandfather, Dick Legas, was a defensive back at BYU.

“My dad and my grandpa come to every practice they can. They have been to every game. They come to everything, and both of them played college ball, so they know what they’re talking about as well,” Legas said.

With much of the season left to be played, USU is 2-4 on the year after defeating Air Force. Only facing conference opponents the rest of the season, the Aggies are looking to turn things around with Cooper Legas at the helm.

Featured image by Sam Warner from the BYU game.