Riley Cooper, a receiver from Florida, who has made plans to play baseball for the Rangers in Texas has decided to return to the football field for a senior playing season.
Urban Meyer, coach for the Florida Gators, made the announcement regarding Cooper's decision on this past Tuesday.
This was welcomed news for Florida, as their biggest challenge during the fall season is going to be to replace two lost lead receivers, Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin.
According to Urban Meyer, he is going to be relied on heavily as a go-to receiver. Urban Meyer has been long been looking for someone that can step up now that Louis Murphy and Percy Harvin are departing. Nobody has stepped up yet, but it is said that Riley can definitely be someone that can.
Cooper was a starter in 12 games for the Gators, which went on to be national champions during the last football season. He managed to catch 18 passes for a total of 261 yards and a total of three touchdowns. He has had a total of 30 receptions in his career for a total of 535 yards with nine scores. He is also the roommate of quarterback Tim Tebow.
There was a very real chance that Cooper may spurn Florida in favor of a major league baseball career. The Rangers decided to draft him during the 25th round in the amateur baseball draft in June. He spent a good part of the summer playing alongside the McKinney Marshals from the Texas Collegiate League.
Cooper says that the decision was tough for him to make, perhaps one of the hardest he's ever made, but he is excited about both playing as part of the Texas Rangers Organization and also returning to play a senior season with the Florida Gators. Two weeks ago, the personnel with the Rangers gave him a tour of the Arlington ball park.
Cooper had been initially drafted into the 15th round by the Phillies in Philadelphia in 2006. He chose to play with the Florida Gators instead of pursuing his baseball career at that time.
Meyer allowed Cooper to skip out on spring practice this year so that he could join the baseball team. Cooper hit two home runs with .247, eight runs batted in and three bases stolen in a span of thirty games. In 89 at-bats, he struck out 41 times.
Meyers knows that Riley is an extremely talented athlete. He has the speed, size and the strength that are needed to create a rough match up for most defenses. The entire offense for the Gators is going to be predicated on problems with matchups for the defense. Luckily, Riley is going to be able to do this for the team because he is renowned for being a big time playmaker.
The NCAA rules have allowed for student athletes to go professional in a sport while they maintain eligibility in a different sport. Former Florida QB Doug Johnson, for example, spent four years playing for the Gators even after he had signed with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays.
Tebow is applauding the decision that Cooper has made.
Photo Credits: Stephen M. Dowell, Orlando Sentinel / April 12, 2008
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