If Columbus East’s defensive secondary has taken a step forward this year, a little of the credit can go to the offensive line.
That’s because it was offensive lineman Hunter Nichalson and Matt Hutcheson that convinced Elliott Koopman to return to football his sophomore year. Koopman, who played from preschool through fifth grade, had given up the sport to focus on basketball and track.
Nichalson, Hutcheson and the East coaches are glad they did.
Koopman, in his second year as a starter, leads the area with six interceptions. The senior free safety did not have an interception all of last season despite starting at strong safety.
“I’m playing more pass coverage this year,” Koopman said. “I guess I’m just reading the quarterback better. I think it’s a surprise to get (six). My goal was to get one or two. I wasn’t really expecting that many. It was just athleticism and studying other teams, I guess. I feel like I know what I’m doing a lot better this year.”
After beginning the season with a pair of picks in the season opener against Whiteland, Koopman went five weeks without an interception. He then grabbed four over the final three weeks of the regular season.
“He understands what we’re trying to get done defensively,” East coach Bob Gaddis said. “He and Parker Harrison have done a good job of leading what we do not only in our secondary, but with our entire defensive unit. That was really huge to get better during the season so that guys have something to build on.”
Koopman also ranks third on the East team with 66 tackles.
“He’s physical enough to come up and make tackles, and he can cover people,” Gaddis said. “He just has a real good feel for being able to play in the secondary.”
That comes despite never having played defense prior to his sophomore year. Koopman played running back as a kid before taking his football hiatus.
When he went to summer workouts before his sophomore year, Koopman worked as a wide receiver. The coaches moved him to safety before the season started.
“I didn’t care where I played,” Koopman said. “I felt lost because I didn’t play in junior high or anything like that. Coach (defensive coordinator Eddie) Vogel and all the coaches on defense kind of helped me out with that a lot.”
Gaddis said Koopman has been a good leader for the Olympians not just during the season, but in the offseason, when schools and facilities were shut down because of COVID-19 and players were largely left to train on their own.
“He’s been around and did everything we asked him to do when things were tough there early,” Gaddis said. “He’s also one of our returning starters, so he brought us a lot of experience and leadership into this season. He’s been a real steadying force.”
Koopman still competes in basketball and runs track. He was a regular varsity player in basketball last season and even started a couple of games.
Although he hasn’t ruled out playing football or basketball, Koopman is thinking of attending Butler as a student. He wants to study health sciences or sports medicine.
The Olympians open postseason play Friday night with a sectional semifinal game at Franklin Central.
“I like our team,” Koopman said. “We’ve bonded together pretty well. We’re a bunch of seniors. It’s awesome because I kind of missed being out there with my friends. I had kind of just gotten tired of playing football, so it’s nice being out there having fun again.”
