University of Miami Athletics
2

Graig Cooper

position

Running Back

Height

5-11

Weight

189 lbs.

Class

Freshman

Hometown

Memphis, Tenn.

High School

Melrose/Milford Prep HS

2010 SEASON STATS|CAREER STATISTICS

 

2008 MOST VERSATILE PLAYER (TEAM AWARD)
2007 SPORTING NEWS FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA (HONORABLE MENTION)
2007 COLLEGEFOOTBALLNEWS.COM FRESHMAN ALL-AMERICA (HONORABLE MENTION)
2007 CO-ROOKIE OF THE YEAR (TEAM AWARD)

CAREER: Wrapped up his collegiate career ranking third in program history in career all-purpose yardage (3,864), trailing only Santana Moss (4,394) and Ottis Anderson (4,265) … Ranks fifth in UM history in career rushing yards (2,387) … Played in 46 games and started 21 (1 – freshman; 11 – sophomore, 8 – junior; 1 – senior) at the running back position … Led the `Canes in rushing in 2007 (682), 2008 (841) and 2009 (695) … Scored 17 touchdowns in his career (13 – rushing, 3 – receiving, 1 – punt return) … Averaged 5.1 yards per carry in his career … Recorded season-highs for carries (171) and catches (29) his sophomore season in 2008 … Recorded 1,079 return yards in his career (206 – punt return, 873 kick return), averaging 6.6 yards per punt return and 20.8 yards per kick return … Set the school record for kick return yards in a single season with 582 in 2009, breaking Tremain Mack’s mark of 528 set in 1996… Recorded six 100-plus yard rushing games in his career, tied for the eighth-highest total in program history … Career-best rushing game came against Virginia in 2009 (18 carries, career-best 152 yards, 1 TD) … Recorded acareer-best two rushing touchdowns at Texas A&M in 2008.

2010 (SENIOR): Played in 10 games, starting one at the running back position (Virginia Tech, Nov. 20) … Carried the ball 35 times for 165 yards (4.7 ypc) and a touchdown … Was limited with injury all season after suffering a torn ACL in the 2009 Champs Sports Bowl … Finished the 2010 season with 427 all-purpose yards (165 rushing, 28 receiving, 202 kick returns, 32 punt returns) … Caught six passes for 28 yards … Best rushing performances of the season came in back-to-back weeks against Virginia on Oct. 30 (3 carries for 30 yards) and Maryland on Nov. 6 (10 carries for 40 yards).

2009 (JUNIOR): Miami’s rushing leader with 695 yards on 134 attempts and four touchdowns … Played in 12 games with eight starts … Moved into seventh place all-time in career rushing yards (2,218) … Ranked seventh in the ACC in rushing … Picked up sixth career 100-yard rushing game with career high 152 yards on 18 carries against Virginia … Averaged 5.2 yards per carry … Led the team with 1,417 all-purpose yards, which was fourth-best in the ACC … Had a career-best 232 all-purpose yards in the season opener at Florida State including a career-high 177 yards on kick returns … Gained 93 yards on 17 carries against Georgia Tech … Rushed for 99 yards on 17 carries against Clemson … Caught 18 passes for 132 yards and one touchdown during the regular season … Led the team in kick return yards (582) on 26 returns with a long of 63 yards against FSU.

2008 (SOPHOMORE): Named team’s Most Versatile Player at the 2008 UM awards banquet … Led the team in rushing for the second straight season with 841 yards and a 4.9-yard average per carry … Also caught 29 passes for 113 yards (3.9 average)…Led the team with six touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving and one punt return) … Had three 100-yard rushing games in 2008 … Ran 16 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns in the win at Texas A&M … Rushed for 110 yards on 19 carries against North Carolina … Carried a career-high 24 times for a career-best 131 yards in the overtime win at Virginia … Started 11 of 13 games in the backfield … Led the team in all-purpose yards with 1,113 yards.

2007 (FRESHMAN): Shared team’s Rookie of the Year Award with Orlando Franklin … Led the team in rushing as a true freshman with 682 yards and a 5.5-yard average per carry … Also caught 13 passes for 129 yards (9.9 average) … Led the team with five touchdowns (four rushing, one receiving) … Named honorable mention Freshman All-America by The Sporting News and CollegeFootballNews.com … Finished his first season with the third-most rushing yards ever by a Miami true freshman, behind only Clinton Portis (838 yards) and Javarris James (808 yards) … Led the team in rushing in six of 12 games … Started one game and had two 100-yard rushing games … Rushed for 116 yards in his first game, the best debut ever for a Miami running back … Was also the team’s primary punt returner, averaging 4.8 yards on 16 returns … Totaled 887 all-purpose yards (rushing, receiving and punt returns) … Played in his first game as a Hurricane against Marshall and led the team in rushing with 116 yards on 12 rushes, including a 56-yarder marking the best debut ever for a Miami freshman running back … Rushed 11 times for 48 yards and scored the first touchdown of his career against FIU … Made his only start of the season, lining up with Javarris James in the backfield against Duke … Posted his second 100-yard game of the season, rushing for 101 yards on just 12 carries (8.4 average).

HIGH SCHOOL/PREP SCHOOL: Enrolled at UM in January 2007 … Mr. Football in Tennessee as a senior in 2005 … Spent fall 2006 at Milford Prep and led the team in rushing with 1,327 yards and 15 touchdowns in eight games, averaging 12.5 yards per carry … Selected first-team All-State in 2005, when he led his team to the state championship … Rushed for 2,123 yards and 30 touchdowns, averaging more than 7.0 yards per carry … Also gained 291 yards on receptions, with two more TDs … As a junior, rushed for 1,981 yards and 19 touchdowns … Returned three punts for touchdowns in 2004 but did not play special teams as a senior … Ranked the No. 6 running back by Scout.com … In 2006 was ranked the No. 4 overall player in the state of Tennessee by Rivals.com, rated the No. 10 running back by Scout.com, and ranked the No. 28 running back by ESPN … PrepStar All-American … Coached by Chester Flowers Jr. in high school and Bill Chaplick in prep school.

GRAIG COOPER’S CAREER HIGHS
Rushing Attempts: 24 (at Virginia 2008)
Rushing Yards: 152 (vs. Virginia, 2009)
Rushing Touchdowns: 2 (at Texas A&M 2008)
Long Run: 70 (at Virginia, 2008)
Receptions: 7 (vs. Florida State 2008, at North Carolina 2009)
Receiving Yards: 37 (at North Carolina, 2009)
Receiving Touchdowns: 1, three times (most recent vs. Florida State, 2009)
Long Reception: 25 (vs. Duke 2007, at North Carolina 2009)
100 Yard Rushing Games: 152 (vs. Virginia 2009)
131 (at Virginia 2008)
128 (at Texas A&M 2008
116 (vs. Marshall 2007)
110 (vs. North Carolina 2008)
101 (vs. Duke 2007)