Jeffrey Coprich, West Ranch Athlete, Commits To Cal

Has Ron Gould found his next jewel at running back?

Jeffrey Coprich, Jr. is one of those under-the-radar guys that probably got missed the first time one went through the recruiting cycle, but he could end up being someone who becomes the perfect fit for the Cal football program. Coprich received his Cal offer a few weeks ago after he tripped to Hawaii, and when Coprich made his official to Cal this weekend, he was ready to be a Bear.

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"I loved being with a lot of my friends, and hanging out with the players, and everybody was cool, on the team, and getting the chance to evaluate the new facilities they have, it's a good program they've got building up," said Coprich, Jr.

The 5-foot-9, 182-pounder with a 4.46 40 time was blown away by the sheer immensity of the recently-opened Student Athlete High Performance Center.

"It was crazy," Coprich, Jr., said. "I fell in love with it as soon as I walked in the weight room. It was crazy. I loved it. I loved it. I loved it a lot."

Moreover, Coprich has one of those stories that makes you want to root for the kid from the first day he gets here. Read this great profile from HuskerLocker.

He faced tragedy at an early age when both he and his sister were involved in a severe car accident. A three-year-old at the time, Coprich was able to survive. His seven-year-old sister, Essence Coprich and two year old cousin were not as fortunate.

Despite his loss, he uses her memory to help guide him. He continues her legacy by annually fundraising to get books donated to a library named after her located in Watts, California. "I’ve been through so much, it’s made me stronger as a person and a player," he said.

Add that with the academics mentioned in both of the stories above, and this sounds like a kid destined to succeed at Cal. Looking forward to see his story unfold as a Bear.

Welcome to Cal, Jeffrey. GO BEARS!

After the jump, video highlights and other stuff.

Coprich played for West Ranch in the Foothill League, which gave us Shane Vereen. Coprich had offers from schools like Army, Colorado, Hawaii, Montana and Cal Poly. Take a look at his tape and I definitely see a guy who has some strong upside once he develops himself.

(via utrhighlightvideos)

According to MaxPreps, during his senior year, Coprich averaged over 8.14 yards per carry, and never dipping below 4.3 yards per carry in any single game along with 12 touchdowns. Also, only three fumbles on 153 carries. Not too bad.

Coprich didn't have breakaway speed his junior year (which is kind of why he went under the radar before the season began), but it appears he improved in his senior tape. He does a lot better at running at the second level. I like the way he hits the hole and manages to make moves in the open field. He's definitely someone who has the body to develop into another strong Gould product. The offensive line play is also fairly solid, but that's the hallmark of any great running production.

There are also some moves at defensive back. It'll be interesting to see which side of the field he ends up at, as both Ron Gould and Ashley Ambrose teamed up to recruit him.

Combine that with the work ethic of Coprich, and the sky's the limit. If he's good enough for Gould, he's good enough for me.