Another feather in Randy Shannon’s cap as he kept Graig Cooper on board with The U.
Cooper originally signed with Miami last year, but didn’t have a high enough test score to enroll. He headed off to prep school to get his academics together and began wavering from his commitment after former coach Larry Coker was fired. After meeting coach Shannon face to face, Cooper was sold on The U and was told he’d be an “instant contributor” in 2007 in a “Reggie Bush-type role.”
The past few weeks had Cooper visiting Oklahoma State and North Carolina, but in the end it was still Miami.
“I just had to build a relationship with coach Shannon, see what type of person he was,” said Cooper. “I met him. He’s a good guy. He’s been in the program, not too much is going to change. I just sat down this past weekend and thought it over and decided I was going to stick with them.”
Cooper is the highest-rated recruit to ever commit to the University of Miami and for those keeping score, this is the 13th commitment for Shannon, the first year head coach.
OTHER NEWS & NOTES: Dirk Koetter and family are either in Miami or are en route, ready for The U’s best sales pitch… The nation’s top quarterback recruit Robert Marve is headed to Coral Gables this coming weekend to unofficially check out Miami. Calling this Shannon’s biggest signing is a huge understatement. Marve was originally headed to Alabama before Mike Shula was fired. Will he still head there with Nick Saban in the fold – or is Miami his new top choice? We’ll see… John Palermo has officially resigned and it appears Clint Hurtt will take over the defensive line… Some sources are saying Jeff Stoutland of Michigan State has been hired as Miami’s new offensive line coach. Nothing official from The U on that yet… Former Miami FB Quadtrine Hill was picked up by the New England Patriots as they enter the playoffs… Mario Cristobal has hired former Miami assistant/player Jeff Popovich over at FI-who.
.:Canes305:.