Senior linebacker for Miami (OH). 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
6′1″ · 213 lb · Pickerington, OH · Pickerington North
CFB Index
A single number blending on-field production (an EPA-based value lane) with box-score output for this player's position.
0-100, scaled within each position's own cohort — not directly comparable across positions.
The numbers
tackles · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 4 tackles, at Cincinnati
His career numbers, season by seasonThe story
Senior linebacker for Miami (OH). 2026: 3 games with a box-score line.
Eli Coppess
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles. This is his fourth year in the same linebacker corps at Miami (OH). One game to point at: 5 tackles against Pittsburgh — Week 1, 2026.
11 TACKLES · 0 SACKS
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
His career
He was on the field for 4 seasons. That is rarer than it sounds.
Career arc
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coachPlayed his entire career under Chuck Martin.
| Season | Team | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Miami (OH) | 11 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | -- | -- |
| 2025 | Miami (OH) | 17 | 13 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | 3 | -- |
| 2024 | Miami (OH) | 15 | 8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| 2023 | Miami (OH) | 1 | -- | 0.0 | 0.0 | -- | -- | -- |
| Career | 44 | 27 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 2 | 3 | -- |
Game by game
Point color shows the opponent's defensive strength that week (red = weaker defense, blue = stronger) — dashed line is this player's own season average.
Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | L 14-59@ Pittsburgh | 5 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | Season-high 5 tackles |
| Wk 2 | W 45-7vs Holy Cross | 2 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Wk 3 | L 31-35@ Cincinnati | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 1 | |
| Total | 11 | 6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 2 |
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 2 · 2026
W 45–7
vs Holy Cross
2 tackles · 1 pass breakups
Dominant 38-point win at home against Holy Cross.
With D. McComb — 234 yds · 3 TD · 0 INT · QBR 94.5 · 12 rush yds (3 car) · 1 TD · K. McLaughlin — 9 points · 24 long · 100 percent on field goals
Since week 2: +4 tackles, +1 pass breakup.
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Chuck Martin — 28-17 over that span.
Where this defender ranks vs the field
Box-score production percentiles vs the position cohort
Elite: passes defended (92nd percentile). Concern: tackles for loss (16th percentile).
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 · Per-game
2026 season · 3 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home1g | 2.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 |
| Road2g | 4.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-73g | 3.7 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.7 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Chuck Martin
Pass share
47.9%
80 pass / 87 run
Plays / game
55.7
3 games
Team sack rate
5.6%
90 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced, slow tempo.
Player standing · 2025
Tackle volume for the position at the early end of the ladder.
Recognition
Production · CFB Index Score
Three-star recruit. Now #333 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-MAC
Based on 2025: #30 of 55 Mid-American LBs
15% estimated, 95% confidence interval 13–17%. Base rate measured from players who finished at a comparable rank in their conference and came back the next season. It is an estimate from a small sample, not a forecast of this player.
Play style
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
CFB Index positional classification
The No. 1,571 recruit in the country is starting at linebacker in the Mid-American as a senior.
Player DNA
Ranges from hash to hash and makes his own tackles.
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Nick Allen’s 2021 season.
Matches Nick on
Differs from Nick on
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Sincere Jackson's junior season at Sam Houston (2024).
Matches Sincere on
Player DNA
2025 Highlights: Played in 13 games, making one start Made first career start versus Western Michigan Had 17 tackles and three interceptions during the season Had a career-high four tackles versus EMU Posted interceptions versus Lindenwood, Ohio and Toledo 2024 Highlights: Played in 12 games…
10 more on the roster · Miami (OH) team page