Huskers Cornerback & Safety Seniors: Cooper, Felici, Foster & Mitchell
By Kelli Anne
This is the third installment of the Nebraska Cornhusker Football Team Senior spotlight. Today we cover the defense which hosts three cornerbacks and a safety. Nebraska will play in 5 consecutive bowls with this senior class and has appeared in 2 conference championships.
Corey Cooper, #6 on the Defense is from Maywood, Illinois and played Safety for the Huskers. He earned his degree in Ethnic Studies already in May of 2014, and is playing as a graduate student. He started 13 games his junior year, 14 games as a sophomore, and 11 games as a redshirt freshman. Cooper is a member of the 2014 Blackshirts Defense. He had a tackle high 12 stops in his junior year against UCLA. Recently, against Wisconsin, he had a season-high 10 tackles and forced a pair of fumbles.
Sep 20, 2014; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defender Corey Cooper (6) tackles Miami Hurricanes running back Duke Johnson (8) in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 41-31. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
He achieved First-Team All-Big Ten in 2013, Academic All-Big Ten in 2011 and Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll Spring of 2014.
#31, Joey Felici, Nebraska Cornhusker Cornerback (NU Athletics)
Joey Felici, #31 on the defense is a local product from Omaha, Nebraska. He contributed in his senior season as a special teams contributor logging in 9 special teams tackles. He has been on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll consistently since Spring of 2012, and on the Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall Academic Honor Roll Fall 2010 and Spring 2011. He was also on the 2014 Tom Osborne Citizenship Team.
Derek Foster, #30 on the defense is also a Nebraska native graduating from Elm Creek High School. He is a nutrition, exercise and health science major on pace to graduate in December of 2014. He was listed on the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll Fall 2011 and Spring 2014.
#30 Derek Foster, Nebraska Cornhusker Cornerback (NU Athletics)
Josh Mitchell, #5 on the Defense came to the Cornhusker squad from Corona, California. He played in 8 games as a redshirt freshman, 13 games his sophomore and junior seasons. He returned a fumble 57 yards during the Miami game for a touchdown in the 3rd quarter. He is a 2014 Blackshirt recipient and a vocal leader on the team.
Aug 31, 2013; Lincoln, NE, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defender Josh Mitchell (5) celebrates his quarterback sack with Stanley Jean-Baptiste (16), Kevin Maurice (55) and Josh Banderas (52) against the Wyoming Cowboys in the second half at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska won 37-34. Mandatory Credit: Bruce Thorson-USA TODAY Sports
He is majoring in communication studies and named to the Big 12 Commissioner’s Fall Academic Honor Roll in 2010 and Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll in spring 2012 and 2013 semesters.