3-star ATH sets South Carolina official date
One of the main reasons the South Carolina coaches love Havelock (N.C.) athlete Pharoh Cooper is because of his versatility. The 5-foot-11 Cooper has shown a willingness to play wherever his team needs him, and his senior season has been no exception.
Despite a likely college career as a defensive back, Cooper has put his focus on being a quarterback for Havelock, with impressive results so far. Cooper has led Havelock to a 10-1 record, while only playing on defense in his team's biggest games.
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"At first I didn't really like it," Cooper said of playing QB. "But as the season kept going along I really started to like it. I've become more of a leader as the year has gone on. Being the quarterback means leading the team and keeping them on track."
Cooper's goal is to one day lead become the quarterback of the Gamecocks secondary, most likely as a safety.
He said he remains firmly committed to South Carolina, despite the occasional overture from other schools.
"I'm still solid," Cooper said. "I've been down for a couple games this year and really enjoyed it."
The three-star Cooper committed back in May, and his trips to Columbia earlier this year were different than the ones he took in the past.
"It felt good going there and knowing that I made it to this point," he said. "The atmosphere was great and I really felt like I had good chemistry with the coaches."
Cooper only plans to take one official, to South Carolina on Jan. 18, 2013. He added that watching the team on the field this season has only made him more excited to join the team.
"I just really like watching their defense," he said. "They're aggressive on the front line getting after the quarterback and the secondary is always around the ball."