Too bad, because Cooper looks like he's ready right now.
Cooper ran for 91 yards on eight carries and scored two long touchdowns Saturday to highlight the Hurricanes' annual spring game, the final official workout before training camp begins this summer. Miami's defense rallied to beat the offense 32-29, sealing the win with interceptions on each of the game's final two drives.
``We've still got a long way to go,'' Cooper said. ``These two touchdowns really don't mean anything. I've still got a lot of work to do and my team still has a lot of work to do. That's the whole point of working hard, day by day. Stay in the film room, stay in the weight room and keep studying. That's all we can do.''
Miami coach Randy Shannon didn't disagree with any of those sentiments. The Hurricanes finished the spring season farther along, Shannon believes, than last year's team did. But with the stench of a 5-7 season still lingering, it's clear there's plenty of other areas where Shannon wants Miami to get considerably sharper in the coming months.
``We recruit guys who think they can be difference-makers here, who we think can be difference-makers,'' Shannon said. ``We're not going to go out and just recruit guys, bring guys to the University of Miami who are just guys. We're not going to do that.''
By the looks of Saturday, Miami's defense has more than a few difference-makers.
Excluding special-teams, the Hurricanes took 82 offensive snaps in the two-hour scrimmage before 11,000 fans. The defense allowed zero yards or less on 36 of those plays.
Darryl Sharpton had three of the defense's six sacks, Sean Spence made two interceptions including one on the game's final play and freshman linebacker Arthur Brown got an interception off a deflected pass late in the fourth quarter to give the defense the lead for good.
``I think we all did a great job, flying to the ball, doing our job,'' Brown said. ``Cooper's a great back, got a lot of speed. That's what I saw, trying to chase him down.''
He wasn't alone on that front.
Cooper scored on a 27-yard run in the first quarter and added a 44-yard run around the right side in the fourth quarter to highlight his day. Javarris James only had one carry a 25-yarder and finished with 81 total yards on five touches, and sophomore running back Shawnbrey McNeal turned a short middle screen pass into a 66-yard catch-and-run play.
But other than that huge gain, the passing game struggled against a swarming defense.
Most eyes were on the quarterback battle Saturday, and each of the three vying for the starting job had their moments. Robert Marve started and completed 10 of 22 passes for 93 yards, with two interceptions. Jacory Harris completed seven straight passes at one point, all of them short ones, and finished 9-of-17 for 64 yards. Cannon Smith was 1-for-5, with his lone completion the 66-yarder to McNeal.
``We've still got a whole summer to compete,'' Harris said.
Shannon doesn't expect to announce the starter until a few days before the Aug. 28 opener against Charleston Southern.
``Overall, this gives the whole team a lift to know we've got each other's backs,'' Harris said. ``We can go down and score touchdowns and we know our defense can stop people when we need them to.''
The running back corps didn't get out of the game unscathed: Derron Thomas appeared to hurt his right ankle on the eighth play of the scrimmage. He was twisted awkwardly at the end of a 2-yard run, stayed down in obvious pain, hobbled off and didn't return.
Lee Chambers rushed 11 times for 36 yards and Kayne Farquharson had four catches for 29 yards. DeMarcus Van Dyke blocked a field goal for the defense.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2008/3/208531