The South Carolina Gamecocks endured a disappointing 2014 season, but sophomore wide receiver Pharoh Cooper was certainly a bright spot for the Gamecocks. In a year in which South Carolina’s defense severely regressed, the offense excelled at times, and it all started with Cooper. Quarterback Dylan Thompson threw for 3,564 yards and 26 touchdowns, but he didn’t even complete 60% of his passes and faded late in games. Cooper was the only consistent threat, and that’s why he should be considered the team MVP for the 2014 season.
Cooper, who came to Columbia as a corner and only caught three passes as a freshman, finished with well over a thousand yards receiving on the year. He finished with 69 receptions for 1,136 yards and nine touchdowns. Becoming the first South Carolina receiver to go over a thousand yards since Alshon Jeffery, Cooper cemented his place as the number one playmaker. Cooper was used in the wildcat as well, rushing for 200 yards and recording rushing and passing touchdowns.
The sheer amount of production isn’t the sole reason Cooper should be considered the team MVP. His plays all came at the perfect time, and he never let his team down. When the Gamecocks needed him most, Cooper delivered.
His catch-and-run touchdown completely turned the bowl game around. The offense had sputtered so far, and the defense had barely held Miami to two early field goals before Cooper’s burning speed cashed in a 78-yard touchdown pass. That play was the spark the Gamecocks needed to win its seventh game of the season, making sure Steve Spurrier wouldn’t suffer a first losing season with South Carolina.
Cooper scored South Carolina’s first touchdown against Clemson out of the wildcat, making sure the game didn’t get out of reach right at the beginning. He also had one of the most commanding performances by a Carolina receiver ever against Tennessee. He had more than 200 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in a game that the defense threw away a victory that Cooper single-handedly fought for.
If you could sum up Cooper’s heart and effort in one play, his late touchdown against Missouri would do that and convince anyone he was the best player on the team. The Gamecocks had been sluggish on offense all day and had only scored 13 points late in the fourth quarter. With the Gamecocks trying to put the game away, Cooper caught a Thompson pass over the middle in the end zone to score the last touchdown. To come down with the play, Cooper suffered a ferocious high hit that almost any other player would have dropped. Any other player would’ve been scared of the contact and just given up. Cooper didn’t give up, even when surrounded by a plethora of players that did.
The Gamecocks have a lot of work to do in 2015 to return to their great form, but Cooper coming back to lead the offense will certainly help. On a team that the appointed stars failed, Pharoh Cooper had the season of his life and made every Gamecock fan immensely proud.
This article South Carolina Gamecocks: Pharoh Cooper MVP appeared first on isportsweb by Chris Edel