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Park City • Amid all of defensive end James Cowser's impressive numbers in his Southern Utah career, including his Big Sky Conference season record of tackles for loss, there's always one that got away.
Yeah, that A-minus in a human biology lab sticks with him.
"That bugs me," Cowser said Monday, during the annual Big Sky Football Kickoff event.
All it took was one quiz, one instance of reading the wrong chapter and being unprepared, to make Cowser — voted the Big Sky's preseason defensive MVP — settle for a 3.99 grade-point average as he graduated with a degree in psychology and moved into a masters program in communications.
He also could have produced more than 11.5 sacks and 28.5 tackles for loss in 2014, if not for a couple of near-misses. If he needs reminding, there's a photo in Cedar City of his failed swipe at the ball in the hands of a Sacramento State quarterback.
Such missed opportunities drive Cowser's preparation for his senior year. So do the challenge of Utah State as a season-opening opponent and the memories of SUU's 3-9 record, a year after the Thunderbirds competed in the FCS playoffs.
Having broken the Big Sky season record held by NFL veteran Jared Allen of Idaho State, Cowser needs only 12 tackles for loss to match Allen's career mark of 73. Just being mentioned in that conversation shows how far Cowser has come since Davis High School, where his only FBS scholarship offer came from Air Force. Not that he begrudges any in-state recruiters for overlooking him in 2009.
"I mean, I was a 6-foot-3, 210-pound nose tackle. I don't blame 'em," he said, laughing. "I had a lot to grow into, and I'm glad coach [Ed] Lamb gave me a shot."
Cowser has thrived at SUU since his freshman season of 2012, following an LDS Church mission. His career trajectory resembles former Utah State linebacker Zach Vigil's rise. With his long hair, Cowser is said to resemble Boston Celtics center Kelly Olynyk, but there's also a good comparison to Vigil, facially and otherwise. He played against Vigil and his brother Nick in little league football in Davis County and wears No. 53, as Zach did in Logan.
With increased size (6-4, 258), strength and speed, Cowser has developed into an FCS All-American and a candidate for national defensive player of the year awards. He gained confidence from playing as a freshman and has kept improving. Cowser loves to sack quarterbacks, but all of those tackles for loss "just show that I take the run game seriously too," he said.