Official Athletic Site of the Valparaiso University Crusaders
#26 - John Popper
2008-09 Football
POS.
RB
HT.
5'11"
WT.
195
YR.
Jr.
HOMETOWN
Dublin, Ohio
HIGH SCHOOL (PREV. SCHOOL)
Coffman
John Popper

2008: Played in all 11 games for the Crusaders as a junior ... earned Second Team All-Pioneer Football League honors as a return specialist ... ranked 18th in the nation and second in the league averaging 12.0 yards per punt return ... returned a punt 48 yards for a touchdown at Campbell ... had a season-long 59-yard kickoff return against Butler ... added a 38-yard punt return against Marian (Ind.) ... tallied nine carries for 65 yards, including a long of 24 against Concordia (Wis.) ... named team’s Special Teams Player of the Week against Butler and Campbell ... also named PFL Player of the Week on November 16 after the Campbell contest ... named to the Pioneer Football League Fall Academic Honor Roll.

2007: Appeared in 10 games, making three starts ... earned Honorable Mention All-Pioneer Football League honors as a return specialist ... returned a kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown against San Diego ... carried 16 times for 91 yards and two touchdowns at Jacksonville ... second in the Pioneer Football League averaging 24.5 yards per kick return and also with 136.6 all purpose yards per game ... named team’s Offensive Player of the Week against both Drake and San Diego ... team’s Special Teams Player of the Week against Kalamazoo and San Diego.

2006: Played in all 11 games for the Crusaders, starting the final eight ... led the Crusaders in rushing with 567 yards ... finished second on the squad with 27 pass receptions ... carried 29 times for 139 yards in season finale against Aurora ... scored first career touchdown against Morehead State ... also ran for a score against Jacksonville and caught a touchdown pass at San Diego ... made six catches against Jacksonville ... hauled in four passes for 63 yards against Butler ... finished eighth in the Pioneer Football League averaging 51.5 yards rushing per game ... team’s Offensive Player of the Game against Aurora ... named to the PFL Fall Academic Honor Roll.

Prep: A three-year letterwinner for the Shamrocks ... a First Team All-Ohio Capital Conference Buckeye Division selection as a senior ... received Special Mention All-District honors in 2005 ... Al Crawford Award recipient as a senior ... received Rock Pride Award as a sophomore ... also lettered in baseball and track and field.  

Personal: John is the son of John and Mary Popper ... major is accounting ... born May 7, 1988.

2008-09 Football
1 Steve OgdenWR
2 Nicholas HentonWR
2-D Taylor DeloyeK
3 David ConeysWR
3-O Brian FianiQB
4 Darien JeffersRB
5 Anthony CurryDB
5-O Peter BurgettQB
6 Kyle HimmelwrightDB
6-O Austin GammageRB
7 Matt UpshawQB
7-D C.J. CalteuxDB
8 Bobby WysockiQB
8-D Brandon SpinnerDB
9 Corey NashWR
9-D Tom ZidronDB
10 Warren ArnoldQB
10-D Alex ByersDB
11 Zack DennyQB
12 Travis AndersonWR
13 Eli CrawfordDB
13-O Nick MalantisQB
14 Tim BennettWR
14-D Wes TidballDB
15 Laurence TreadawayDB
16 Mike MillerDB
17 Johnny DollRB
18 Ross WiemerRB
19 Marty McAlpinQB
20 Mozale McHenryRB
21 Matt WatkinsDB
22 Roger SaturDB
23 Quinn HenochDB
24 Trey ClarkDB
25 Josh Regent-SmithRB
26 John PopperRB
27 DeAndre' PittsDB
28 Billy DollDB
29 Isaiah SpearsRB
30 Kris SerraLS
30-D Royce ParhamDB
31 Jake RiedelRB
32 Adrian GoberDB
32-O Geoffery FieldsRB
33 Evan LoveLB
34 Dan CottinRB
35 Ryan KoepkeLB
35-O Ian ParkerLB
36 Chris WalshWR
36-O J.J. JenkinsWR
37 Sean DillonLB
38 Andrzej SkibaK
39 Matt MarkofskiLB
40 Josh LynnRB
41 Chris SmithK
42 Grant BushongLB
43 Luke KanclerzDB
44 Eddie MorelliRB
45 Zac GriffinLB
46 Alex SollerDB
47 Matt ManclLB
48 Jeremy MancosLB
49 Zack LaBarreRB
50 Marco PorcelliLB
50-D Alex MeagherLB
51 James JoosLB
52 JaVon WelchLB
53 Dave Tebo, Jr.OL
53-D Cody GokanLB
54 Tristan ManvillaOL
54-D Adam WicklundDL
55 Dominick BellotteDL
55-D Michael Schatz, Jr.LB
56 Jeff PrangeLB
57 Andrew MackDL
58 Sean McMillanLB
58-D Jared RoseLB
59 Brian LaippleDL
59-O Nick LazzellOL
60 Matt NoffkeOL
61 Dave WisniewskiOL
62 Nathan RichterOL
63 Gavin GrilloOL
64 Brett HeberDL
65 Steve LaraOL
66 Amedeus OdemdaDE
67 John SchulzDL
68 John MoriartyOL
68-D Jerrell Coleman-MillerDL
69 Abdullah PrattOL
70 Brian PlachinskiDL
70-O Nick StrzeleckiOL
72 Tim FlynnOL
73 Doug KeppyOL
74 Ferdinand VelezOL
75 Tim KratzOL
77 Nate BlairOL
78 Tayler AielloOL
79 Ryan KozeyOL
80 Matthew NiehusTE
81 Desmond LewisWR
82 Sean McCartyWR
83 Tom OswaldTE
84 Ryan MyersWR
85 Alex PetrikTE
86 Ryan O'SheaTE
87 Bill BurgettWR
88 Mitch SecrestP/K
89 Matt DorowTE
90 Chris LydaDL
91 Myke WorthemTE
92 Chris GardnerDL
93 Brian GoodakerDL
95 Darren Kincaid, Jr.DL
96 Adam RundhDL
97 Nikko CarsonDL
98 Ian AltieriDL
99 David HamakerK
Ed Baker
Matt VanDaele
Baseball Valpo 2 Chicago, Ill.
May 12 UIC 5
Baseball Toledo 1 Emory G. Bauer Field
May 14 Valpo 6
M Golf NCAA Regional Championship Columbus, Ohio (The Ohio State University GC)
May 16 13th/13 (309)
Baseball Youngstown State 1 Emory G. Bauer Field
May 16 Valpo 4
M Golf NCAA Regional Championship Columbus, Ohio (The Ohio State University GC)
May 17 13th/13 (617)
Baseball Youngstown State 4 Emory G. Bauer Field
May 17 Valpo 7
Softball Valpo 0 Ann Arbor, Mich.
May 17 #7/8 Michigan 5
M Golf NCAA Regional Championship Columbus, Ohio (The Ohio State University GC)
May 18 13th/13 (927)
Baseball Youngstown State 2 Emory G. Bauer Field
May 18 Valpo 3
Softball Valpo 7 Ann Arbor, Mich.
May 18 Central Michigan 4
Softball Valpo 0 Ann Arbor, Mich.
May 18 California 6
Baseball Valpo Niles, Ohio
May 23, 10:00 a.m. UIC
Baseball Valpo Niles, Ohio
May 24, 10:00 a.m. Horizon League Championship
Baseball Valpo Niles, Ohio
May 25, 10:00 a.m. Horizon League Championship