If I had to pick a player from the Clemson 2007 recruiting class that I would like to have more than any of the others, it would be a guy that you guys have not talked about too much, if at all.
It would not be Marcus Gilchrist or DeAndre McDaniel. No, it would not even be the almighty Willy Korn. The kid I would pick would be Scotty Cooper. I think this kid will end up being the MVP of the Tiger squad one day. This was the only kid that it hurt me for Clemson to get over the Gamecocks in the 2007 recruiting class. It was known that he came close to committing to the Gamecocks at one time. The irony of his recruitment to his present situation at Clemson baffles me?
You see, the main angle that Clemson seemed to have working for them was the fact that they wanted him as a LB. The Gamecocks on the other hand wanted him as a safety, which is the position that is the better fit for him at the college level. The kid is really to small at 5-foot-11 and 200 lbs. to play at LB in college. Not impossible at LB, but safety is definitely the better fit for him. He on the other hand, during his recruitment, thought differently and would only settle for playing LB at the collegiate level.
Here's where the irony steps in. Here are some of his recent quotes from a breaking interview with tigerillustrated.com:
On playing at the safety position at Clemson: "That's where I want to play and where I feel I'm best suited to help the team at," Cooper told tigerillustrated.com Thursday morning. "They've been telling me free safety and that I'll be blitzing some and what not. I looked at the depth chart so I should be getting some playing time and splitting some time."
Wow, that is just crazy. It still irks me that Carolina could not land this kid. He had made friends with many of the players that ended up signing with Carolina and players that were already on the team. He also said on several occasions how much he loved our coaching staff. I think he really felt comfortable with the surroundings at Carolina. But in the end, I think his heart as a Clemson fan trumped everything else.
Scotty has qualified as he said in this quote referring to his SAT score and GPA:
"I made it by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin," the No. 5 outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com for the class of 2007 joked. Hey but making it by the hair on his "chinny, chin, chin" is good enough to get on the field.
"I made it by the hair of my chinny, chin, chin," the No. 5 outside linebacker in the nation by Rivals.com for the class of 2007 joked. Hey but making it by the hair on his "chinny, chin, chin" is good enough to get on the field.
While I regret that I can not pull for this kid during his college career because he will be wearing orange and purple, I find it hard to wish for him not to succeed. I think he is a good kid just like many of the other players that Carolina and Clemson signed in the 2007 class and I can assure you that Clemson got a damn good safety in Scooty Cooper.
Just giving credit where its due..
