Post by Bornthrilla on Jul 23, 2009 11:43:08 GMT -5
WSSU's Cooper is academic casualty
Leading rusher for Rams last season is back home working in Clinton
By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: July 22, 2009
Sophomore Nic Cooper, who was expected to be Winston-Salem State's top running back this season, is academically ineligible, according to offensive coordinator Alan Hall.
Cooper had a chance to be eligible by the fall, Hall said, but decided against taking summer-school classes and instead is back home in Clinton working.
"We hope he can eventually get back to school," Hall said. "We'll leave the light on for him if he wants to come back. I think the bottom line is you have to do the school work if you want to play, and Nic just fell behind in the classroom, and it cost him."
Cooper, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, was the Rams' leading rusher last season and played in 10 of 11 games. He was suspended for one game by Coach Kermit Blount for breaking team rules.
As a redshirt freshman, the powerful 6-0, 230-pound Cooper was one of the Rams best running backs, but he shared time with senior Rod Fluellen, who started every game.
Cooper rushed for 488 yards on 92 carries, averaging 5.3 yards, and scored four touchdowns. He had his best game in a loss to Savannah State, running for 144 yards on 21 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He also rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in a season-ending loss to Norfolk State.
"There's no doubt we'll miss him," said Hall, who was the offensive coordinator at Savannah State last season. "He was a heck of a talent, but we have to look ahead and plan for this season without him."
Despite his production, Cooper also had trouble holding on to the football, which prompted Blount to bench him for long stretches.
With Fluellen out of eligibility and Cooper ineligible, Hall said that the Rams will rely heavily on senior Brandon McRae, who spent the last two years fighting injuries. McRae broke his wrist in the first game last season, against N.C. A&T, and didn't play again the rest of the season.
"Brandon played in the spring with a cast on his wrist, and we hope that he'll be ready when practice starts," Hall said.
Junior Nathan Mumford saw action in 10 games as a backup to Fluellen and Cooper and ran for 248 yards on 62 carries.
Hall also said that two freshmen running backs, John Harris from Stuart, Va., and Jordan Carter from Burlington, will get a chance to compete for a starting position.
"Both of those guys will be true freshman," Hall said, "but if they can help, they will certainly be out there playing."
Cooper had an outstanding career at Clinton High School. He rushed for 2,600 yards and scored 26 touchdowns as a junior in helping Clinton to a state title in 2005. He was the Cape Fear player of the year in 2005 and 2006 and an all-state selection in '06. He redshirted in 2007, his first season at WSSU.
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or jdell@wsjournal.com.
www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jul/22/wssus-cooper-is-academic-casualty/sports-college/
Leading rusher for Rams last season is back home working in Clinton
By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Published: July 22, 2009
Sophomore Nic Cooper, who was expected to be Winston-Salem State's top running back this season, is academically ineligible, according to offensive coordinator Alan Hall.
Cooper had a chance to be eligible by the fall, Hall said, but decided against taking summer-school classes and instead is back home in Clinton working.
"We hope he can eventually get back to school," Hall said. "We'll leave the light on for him if he wants to come back. I think the bottom line is you have to do the school work if you want to play, and Nic just fell behind in the classroom, and it cost him."
Cooper, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, was the Rams' leading rusher last season and played in 10 of 11 games. He was suspended for one game by Coach Kermit Blount for breaking team rules.
As a redshirt freshman, the powerful 6-0, 230-pound Cooper was one of the Rams best running backs, but he shared time with senior Rod Fluellen, who started every game.
Cooper rushed for 488 yards on 92 carries, averaging 5.3 yards, and scored four touchdowns. He had his best game in a loss to Savannah State, running for 144 yards on 21 carries and scoring two touchdowns. He also rushed for 111 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in a season-ending loss to Norfolk State.
"There's no doubt we'll miss him," said Hall, who was the offensive coordinator at Savannah State last season. "He was a heck of a talent, but we have to look ahead and plan for this season without him."
Despite his production, Cooper also had trouble holding on to the football, which prompted Blount to bench him for long stretches.
With Fluellen out of eligibility and Cooper ineligible, Hall said that the Rams will rely heavily on senior Brandon McRae, who spent the last two years fighting injuries. McRae broke his wrist in the first game last season, against N.C. A&T, and didn't play again the rest of the season.
"Brandon played in the spring with a cast on his wrist, and we hope that he'll be ready when practice starts," Hall said.
Junior Nathan Mumford saw action in 10 games as a backup to Fluellen and Cooper and ran for 248 yards on 62 carries.
Hall also said that two freshmen running backs, John Harris from Stuart, Va., and Jordan Carter from Burlington, will get a chance to compete for a starting position.
"Both of those guys will be true freshman," Hall said, "but if they can help, they will certainly be out there playing."
Cooper had an outstanding career at Clinton High School. He rushed for 2,600 yards and scored 26 touchdowns as a junior in helping Clinton to a state title in 2005. He was the Cape Fear player of the year in 2005 and 2006 and an all-state selection in '06. He redshirted in 2007, his first season at WSSU.
■ John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or jdell@wsjournal.com.
www2.journalnow.com/content/2009/jul/22/wssus-cooper-is-academic-casualty/sports-college/
