Jake Cookus

Biography

Special Teams Analyst/Kickers & Punters & Snappers 2nd Year Jake Cookus is in his second season as Utah’s special teams analyst/kickers & punters & snappers coach in 2025. He joined the Utes' staff for the 2024 campaign, following 8 years at Oregon State, his Alma mater. Cookus led the Beavers' special teams for the final seven years of his tenure as OSU's special teams coordinator, leading several players to conference and career highs. Seven Beavers earned All-Pac-12 special teams honors during his coaching stint, led by Anthony Gould and Silas Bolden sweeping the conference return honors in 2022. It marked the first time a team swept both punt and kick return honors during the Pac-12 era. Gould led the nation with 18.57 yards per punt return and scored two TDs in 2022 on the way to being named a multiple-team All-American Under Cookus' tutelage, Luke Loecher averaged a school-record 46 yards per punt in his career and set the OSU single-season record averaging 47.1 yards per punt in 2021. Loecher was also second with a 46.2 average in 2022. OSU led Pac-12 with 41.68 net average per punt in 2022. The Beavers tied for second in the Pac-12 with two punt blocks in 2020. Cookus was promoted to full-time special teams coach on Dec. 7, 2017 at Oregon State. He was the Beavers' quality control analyst for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Prior to Oregon State, Cookus spent time on the coaching staffs at Hawai'i (2015), Montana (2013-14) and Weber State (2005-11).