Pharoh Cooper focused on USC, admits thinking about NFL

After saying last month that he hadn’t given any thought to when his professional football career might start, South Carolina wide receiver Pharoh Cooper has acknowledged that it’s hard to keep the idea of the NFL out of his head.

“I think about it all the time as any college player would do in my situation, but I’m still a college player right now,” he said. “I play for the Gamecocks, and I’m going to help my team win this year.”

Cooper was named first-team All-SEC last year after catching 69 passes for 1,136 yards.

“I am just focused on this year right now,” he said. “We’ll see how it goes. It depends on this year right here.”

It doesn’t surprise coach Steve Spurrier that his star wide receiver has thought about the next level.

“Nowadays, sometimes they only play three, so I guess you could say (Cooper) and Skai may be seniors this year,” Spurrier said.

Spending money

College football players will receive their first cost of attendance checks next month, and Moore already knows how he’s going to spend his.

“Probably stocking up the fridge first thing and then probably get a new pair of shoes,” he said.

He plans to stock the fridge with “some nice fish and crab legs.”

“I’m a seafood guy,” he said.

South Carolina’s cost of attendance increase will be $4,151 each year, and the money will be loaded every two weeks on the athlete’s Carolina Card.

Quotable

“Well, it was a tragedy, obviously, nine innocent people to be killed like that. I applaud our governor for setting the initiative to remove the flag, and obviously it was received very well by just about everyone in our state and around the country. Obviously, all of us in college sports, we know the importance of equality, race relations, everybody getting along. So certainly, I think all the coaches all over – I know all over South Carolina was happy and glad to see the flag come down.” – Spurrier

Extra points

... The move of Brandon Shell from right tackle to left tackle might not be permanent. Offensive line coach Shawn “Elliott will move them around a little bit,” Spurrier said.

... Team leadership is dependent on on-field contribution, Spurrier said. “You’ve got to play a lot and play well, then you’ve got a chance to be a leader,” he said. “We’ve had some backup guys who like to scream and yell in the locker room, and I tell his assistant coach, ‘Tell him nobody’s listening to him.’ You have to be a good player.”

... Junior offensive lineman Brock Stadnik “should be OK” after having shoulder surgery this summer, Spurrier said. Stadnik is listed at second-team right guard headed into the fall.

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 6:36 PM with the headline "Pharoh Cooper focused on USC, admits thinking about NFL."