After the season Amari Cooper enjoyed in 2012, when he become the first freshman in University of Alabama history to post a 1,000-yard receiving season, it was pretty obvious that had the potential for a stellar career.

So it really wasn’t too surprising that he went on to break numerous Crimson Tide records, including his own mark for single-season touchdowns with 11.

What was eye-popping, though, were the numbers he posted compared to the previous record holders.

Cooper finished his senior season with 124 catches for 1,727 yards and 16 receiving touchdowns. So he broke the records by:

  • 16 catches (78, Julio Jones, 2010)
  • 594 yards (1,133 Jones, 2010)
  • 5 touchdowns

That more yards and receiving touchdowns than what any of his teammates had in 2014.

For his career, Cooper finished with 228 receptions for 3,463 yards and 31 touchdowns. The difference:

  • 34 catches (194, DJ Hall, 2004-07)
  • 540 yards (2,923, Hall)
  • 13 touchdowns (18, Dennis Homan, 1965-67)

About the only Crimson Tide record that Cooper only narrowly broke was most career 100-yard games, as he finished with 14 compared to Hall’s 13, but did so over three years instead of the former receiver’s four.

Although all three of Alabama’s outgoing wide receivers finished their collegiate careers with at least 1,000 yards, DeAndrew White (1,294) and Christion Jones (1,030) being the others, Cooper is one of just two receivers in program history to have two 1,000-yard seasons.

Hall had 1,056 yards on 62 catches in 2006 and then followed that with 67 receptions for 1,005 yards during Nick Saban’s first year on the Capstone.
Here are the game, season and career receiving leaders for those playing when Saban was the head coach at Toledo in 1990, Michigan State from 1995-99, LSU from 2000-04 and Alabama after 2007:

Game
Yards, Name, School, Opponent, Year
293 Josh Reed, LSU vs. Alabama, 2001
255 Plaxico Burress, Michigan State vs. Michigan, 1999
239 Josh Reed, LSU vs. Illinois, 2002
224 Amari Cooper, Alabama at Tennessee, 2014
224 Amari Cooper, Alabama vs. Auburn
221 Julio Jones, Alabama vs. Tennessee, 2010
201 Amari Copper, Alabama vs. Florida, 2014
119 Julio Jones, Alabama vs. Auburn, 2010
189 Amari Cooper, Alabama vs. Florida Atlantic, 2014
186 Josh Reed, LSU vs. Auburn, 2001

Season
Name, School, Year, Catches, Yards
Amari Cooper, Alabama, 2014, 124, 1,750
Josh Reed, LSU, 2001, 94, 1,740
Plaxico Burress, Michigan State, 1999, 66, 1,142
Julio Jones, Alabama, 2010, 78, 1,133
Josh Reed, LSU, 2000, 65, 1,127
Michael Clayton, LSU, 2003, 78, 1,079
Plaxico Burress, Michigan State, 1998, 65, 1,013
D.J. Hall, Alabama, 2007, 67, 1,005
Amari Cooper, Alabama, 2012, 59, 1000
Julio Jones, Alabama, 2008, 58, 924

Career
Name, School, Year, Catches, Yards
Amari Cooper, Alabama 2012-14, 228, 1,750
Josh Reed, LSU, 2001-02, 159, 2,867
Julio Jones, Alabama, 2008-10, 179, 2,653
Michael Clayton, LSU, 2001-03, 181, 2,582
Plaxico Burress, Michigan State, 1998-99, 131, 2,155
Gari Scott, Michigan State, 1997-99, 129, 2,006
Marquis Maze, Alabama, 2008-11, 136, 1,844
Derrick Mason, Michigan State, 1995-96, 106, 1,652
Devery Henderson, LSU, 2002, 76, 1,308
DeAndrew White, Alabama, 2011-14, 94, 1,294