Cooper football hasn't had a starting quarterback other than Cam O'Hara since 2021. It hasn't had a head coach other than Randy Borchers, ever.

Both change when the Jaguars open at Christian County on Aug. 21.

First-year head coach Adam Begley, a battalion chief with the Florence Fire/EMS Department who has been part of the Cooper program since 2014, takes over a team that went 34-8 over the past three seasons and reached two Class 5A state championship games. He inherits just four returning starters on each side of the ball after losing O'Hara (11,227 passing yards, 146 touchdowns, now at Western Kentucky), program rushing record-holder Keagan Maher, leading receiver and interception leader Ryker Campbell, and the team's top four tacklers.

The biggest question: who plays quarterback? The answer is sophomore Zach Kostopoulos, a 160-pounder who has never attempted a varsity pass. He'll become the 11th starting QB in program history.

Begley coached Kostopoulos since third grade in the Cooper youth program and later made him his starter as freshman coach.

"I actually made him a quarterback in third grade, and I've known him as he's grown up and his family," Begley told Link NKY. "As freshman coach, I made him my quarterback, too, so having that bond helps because he knows what I want out of him."

Around Kostopoulos, a wave of new contributors is expected to carry the load. Senior Corey Freihofer, a wide receiver and safety who recorded 48 tackles last season, is the defending Kentucky state champion in the pole vault and the third in his family to lead Cooper teams after older sisters Kay and Liz helped the basketball program to back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances. Begley has called him "the best athlete on our team."

Senior linebacker Christian Inabnit, who appeared in just seven games and logged 26 tackles last season, steps into a much larger role. Running back Kody Meyer, offensive linemen Trevor Johnson and Owen Flamm, and defensive end Carson Clark round out the group Begley is counting on.

Clark isn't buying the rebuild narrative.

"The expectations don't change. I think we're still in for a successful season," Clark said. "People may count us out because we lost a lot of key players, but I think we can be just as good."

Begley told the NKY Tribune on Aug. 12 that the program isn't rebuilding because the foundation is already set. As we reported that same day, the 20-year fire service veteran draws on his leadership experience managing 26 firefighters across four Florence stations to set the tone for his players.

Borchers left behind 118 wins, four region championships and three state title game appearances in 18 years. He has since moved to Kenton County Schools as director of student engagement and joined the KHSAA Board of Control.

New athletic director Tyler Morgan doubles as defensive coordinator on Begley's staff, and Dan Maher, father of departed star Keagan, remains on the coaching staff.

The schedule won't ease the transition. Cooper faces three Class 6A opponents, including the opener at Christian County in Hopkinsville, plus early tests against rival Ryle, Campbell County and Class 4A power Highlands.