Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 1 game
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 0-40@ Iowa | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 4 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 |
#8
Cooper Mau
Junior linebacker for Northern Illinois. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 225 lb · San Diego, CA
Returning to Northern Illinois for 2026
The numbers
4
tackles · 2026
1 game into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, at Iowa
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
3 linebacker for Northern Illinois. 2026: 1 game with a box-score line.
- Signed as a 3-star recruit to Northern Illinois in 2026.
Cooper Mau
One game to point at: 4 tackles against Iowa — Week 1, 2026.
4 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- season totals
- game log
His career
2026
- Signed with Northern Illinois3-star out of San Diego Mesa College
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★★
CFB
College
Northern Illinois
NFL
NFL Draft
—
2026 snapshot
Season context · Team result + system
2026Northern Illinois0-2HC: Rob Harley · Run-leaning, slow tempo
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Concern: tackles (0th percentile).
Box-score production (6)
Percentiles are versus same-position peers with enough snaps this season, based on box-score production. There are no play-by-play efficiency bars here: CFBD's play-value model credits offensive players only, so no defensive EPA exists to rank.
Splits & context
Splits
Per-game splits
Through 1 game: 4.0 TKL/g, 0.0 TFL/g, 0.0 SACK/g, 0.0 PD/g — splits start at 3 games.
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Rob Harley
Scheme reads (pass share, tempo, sack rate) need at least 3 team games — 2 games in so far.
Awards
Player standing · 2026
Backup
On the two-deep and pushing for snaps.
Roster2-deepStarterRecognizedEliteApex
Career stats
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Northern Illinois | 4 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 4 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
Game log
How he plays
2026 Outlook
Northern Illinois
2026 Depth chart
Projected starter
Linebacker · Northern Illinois
Returning around him
- Transfer portal: -15 net (7 in / 22 out)
2026 Award watch
No preseason watch lists yet (most drop June 15 – July 15)
Northern Illinois · Last season: 3-9 · Talent rank #126 · 2026 recruiting class #82
The linebacker corps · Northern Illinois
- #15Broderick Windham11 tackles · 2025
- #57Kimar Nelson5 tackles · 2025
- #27Trey Porter4 tackles · 2025
- #8Cooper Mau1 game · 2026
- #25Brady Kerperin2 games · 2026
5 more on the roster · Northern Illinois team page
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology