Riley Cooper has agreed in principle to terms with the Texas Rangers but his contract will allow him to play football for the Florida Gators in the fall, head coach Urban Meyer announced on Tuesday. Cooper was drafted by Texas in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft and spent his summer playing in Virginia and recently with the McKinney Marshals of the Texas Collegiate League.
”We are excited to have Riley back as part of our 2009 team,” Meyer said. “He will be counted on heavily to be one of our go-to receivers. I’ve said numerous times during the offseason that we need someone to step up with the departure of Percy Harvin and Louis Murphy. We haven’t had someone step up yet and Riley can certainly be someone that does.”
“It was a tough decision, one of the hardest I’ve ever had to make, but I’m excited about being part of the Texas Ranger organization and coming back and playing football for my final season,” Cooper stated. “More importantly, I’m looking forward to being around my Florida teammates and our Gator coaching staff. We have something special going on in Gainesville and I want to be a part of that. I want to thank the Texas Rangers for allowing me to play my senior football season at Florida, the University of Florida and especially Coach Meyer for all his patience and support during this process.”
Cooper is the lone returning starting wide receiver from last year’s National Championship team, having started 12 games in 2008.
“I’m glad to hear that Riley is coming back,” said senior quarterback Tim Tebow. “He has the ability to stretch the field and give us the ability to score from anywhere. He has made a bunch of big plays for us and I’m looking forward to hooking up with him for many more big plays.”
Cooper proved his ability to perform in clutch situations with crucial receptions in both the SEC Championship Game and the BCS National Championship Game last year. Nursing a 24-20 fourth-quarter lead against Alabama, he made a sliding catch in the end zone with 2:50 remaining to ice the game for Florida. Cooper’s other grab against Alabama was a 51-yard reception that set up another of Florida’s scores. In the BCS Championship Game, he hauled in two passes, including an important third-down conversion with a 17-yard reception in a third-and-12 situation.
“Riley is an extremely gifted athlete,” said Meyer. “His speed, size and strength make him a tough matchup for defenses. Our whole offense is predicated on matchup problems for the defense and Riley certainly helps do that for us. He is a big-time playmaker.
“In all of my years of coaching, I don’t know if I’ve ever coached a player that can compete at such a high level in football and baseball. He is a special talent.”
Cooper opened his sophomore season in 2007 with an outstanding four-reception, 122-yard, three-touchdown performance in the Gators’ 49-3 win against Western Kentucky.
Cooper was also previously drafted in the 15th round by the Philadelphia Phillies following high school in 2006, but elected to start his collegiate career with the Gators rather than immediately pursue professional baseball.
According to NCAA regulations, athletes may be a professional in one sport while maintaining their eligibility in another sport.
(University of Florida sports information department contributed to this story)