55 Days Till Gopher Football, Say Hi to Theiren Cockran

Just 55 days till Gopher Football kicks off against the Horned Frogs of TCU!

Theiren Cockran will be there, starting at defensive end and making a push to reclaim a spot on the All-Big Ten team.  The senior from Homestead Florida is entering the final season of a very nice career.  Out of high school Cockran was a lightly recruited two-star holding offers from Purdue, Northern Illinois and a couple other MAC schools.  Jerry Kill moved north to Minnesota and convinced Cockran to commit to the Gophers.

I remember seeing Cockran at a Gopher practice when he was a true freshman and thinking, this kid is built like Damien Wilson (light-weight, small-forward for the basketball team).  Good height, great length and had biceps like Manute Bol.  Maybe not that thin but it was clear he needed a year in the weight room to grow into that body.  Which he did, taking 2011 to redshirt, played in all 13 games as a freshman, was 2nd Team All-Big Ten as a sophomore and honorable mention last year.  Has 25 starts over his career and has 12.5 career sacks,  a number sure to go up as a senior.

It is also worth noting that Cockran has already graduated with a degree in business and marketing education.  He is now working on a certificate program in human resource development.

Just 55 days till we get to see Cockran and the rest of the Gopher defense in action!