Combination of attitude, aggression and all-out talent make Riley Cooper one of CCC's best playmakers.
By BOB PUTNAM, Times Staff Writer
Published November 25, 2005
CLEARWATER - As Riley Cooper raced toward the end of Marauder Stadium, his eyes focused on a cluster of teammates cheering louder and louder as he came closer. Adjusting his stride before reaching them, he leaped into their arms, disappearing in the mass of crazed humanity.
The Marauders had just beaten Sarasota Cardinal Mooney in the Class 2B region final, and this was Cooper's way of thanking them for their support.
"We were just so pumped to come back and win that game," Cooper said.
Cooper already had given CCC plenty to celebrate. The big-play threat in the Marauders offense, the senior receiver has torched secondaries on a routine basis.
CCC (10-2) will need more of the same from Cooper when it hits the road to play Pahokee.
Containing Marauders running back Ronnie Harris, who has rushed for 1,800 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, is an essential element in every opponent's strategy, but shutting down the 6-foot-4, 200-pound Cooper is just as important. He has 32 receptions for 535 yards and seven touchdowns this season.
It's no surprise Cooper has evolved into such a dynamic offensive weapon.
With his combination of size (6-4) and speed (4.37 in the 40), Cooper receives his share of attention from national recruiting services.
He has been named the 64th best player and sixth-best athlete in the country by rivals.com, a well-known recruiting Web site. He also is the highest-rated player in the Tampa Bay area.
"Riley has it all," Jeremy Patterson, a rivals analyst, said earlier this season. "He's very versatile and has the type of size and speed that's hard to find."
The buzz started last season when Cooper showed off his versatility. He used his 40-inch vertical leap to outleap and outmuscle defensive backs for 32 catches and 987 yards. He also has a knack for taking the ball from receivers with 15 interceptions the past two seasons.
But Cooper might be the most dangerous as a returner. He led the state with an average of 37 yards per punt return and 34 yards per kickoff return. That got the attention of recruiters, who lined up this spring to sign him.
Cooper has offers from 25 schools, including Auburn, Florida, Florida State, Miami, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Southern California.
Sure-handed and lethal in the open field, Cooper has excelled in making the difficult reception in a crowd and gaining valuable yards after the catch.
But he's still working on controlling his emotions.
Cooper was ejected in the season opener against Jesuit for using profanity and was suspended by the Florida High School Athletic Association for two games. Since, he has been a magnet for personal fouls.
"Riley is a very hard-nosed football player," CCC coach Mike Jalazo said. "But he's no saint. He does a lot of this stuff to himself. He plays with emotion and sometimes runs his mouth. Because of that, people have kind of marked him a little bit."
All wide receivers are islands unto themselves, literally split apart from their teammates, out there in every sense of the phrase.
Cooper is way out there. He is viewed by many as a post-pattern prima donna, who endlessly yaks between yards after the catch and is constantly demanding the ball.
"People out there think I'm a hothead," Cooper said. "That's the reputation I have to shake. People are constantly coming after me. Jawing, throwing cheap shots, trying to get me out of the game. I get a little mad because it gets a little old after awhile."
For his part, Cooper said he is trying to provide less lip and more production. Few notice the little things he has done this season. Some of his strong suits are downfield blocking and running convincing decoy routes.
"Riley blocks for everyone else and creates seams in our running game," Jalazo said. "He may not have really big numbers, but he is having a great year. But all everyone wants to do is pick on him here or there. People think all he's good for is getting a personal foul.
"But you're not going to find many that will play harder than him."
