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<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font color="#3333FF">Senior Profile</FONT> </H1>

<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Markeith Cooper</I></FONT></H3>
<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>By Adam Prendergast</I></FONT></H3>

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<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>by Bob Grant</H3>
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<P>Markeith Cooper has gone from a wide receiver, to a running back, to a kick returner.  Yet no matter what position the 5-7 senior is playing, he always has one thought in his mind, his son.
<P>"It's not about me anymore, it's about my son," said Cooper.
<P>Markeith Cooper Jr. is four years old and lives in Florida but is still on Markeith Sr.'s mind all the time.
"I want him to have things that I didn't have when I was young, so I try my best so that I can be able to provide for him."
Growing up in a tough Miami, Fla., neighborhood, Cooper was faced with challenges early in his life that had much more of an impact than any play on the football field.
<P>"My childhood was crazy because of the environment that I was in," said Cooper.  "I was in a bad neighborhood. I had a little child, and that pulled me away from all of that.  I was kind of crazy when I was younger, but I went to school and started going to church and I think God put me in this new environment for a reason."
<P>With the good decisions that Cooper made in the past he led himself to the football field where he began playing at the age of nine. He continued to play and got better all the time.  By the time the Liberal Arts major was playing for Palmetto High School, he was breaking records.
<P>After high school, Cooper was recruited by many top schools all over the nation.  But with his test scores coming in late, many schools did not continue to pursue him.
<P>"It just happened (coming to Auburn), I took my ACT real late and Auburn stuck with me," said Cooper.
<P>It didn't take Cooper very long to get used to playing in Auburn.  In just his second game of his college career, the preseason All-SEC selection ran for 110 yards on eight carries and a touchdown.  He also caught one pass for 23 yards that placed him in the end zone again.
<P>"The Fresno State game my freshman year was incredible," said Cooper.  "It was just my second game and I rushed for all those yards and scored two touchdowns.  That is the most memorable game for me so far."
<P>After Cooper finds himself in the end zone, he flashes a golden smile that can be seen throughout the stadium.
"I want people to remember me as a guy who likes to smile all the time, and a guy who likes to have fun," said Cooper.  "I want people to know that when I am out there that I am a guy who is going to give it my all on the field and in the classroom."
<P>With the 1999 campaign already underway, the high school All-America keeps his main goals to himself, but has some that will carry himself and the Tigers throughout the season.
<P>"I want to make it through the season without any injuries," said Cooper. " I want to be able to go out and play hard every day."
<P>Football is not everything to Cooper. Even though he wants to move on and play in the NFL, there are things that are more important to him, such as his fiance Angela Williams, who Cooper plans to marry on February 19 this coming year.
<P>"I want to play some sort of professional football if it is God's will," said Cooper.  "I also want to raise a family.  I want to be able to provide for Angela and my Markeith, Jr., so they do not have to worry about anything.  I am not living my life for myself anymore I am living it for God, my son, and Angela."
<P>For now, Cooper is one of the top kick and punt returners in the Southeastern Conference, which is a refreshing change from last year.
<P>"I am off to a good start, but I have to keep this going until the end of the season. You can't rest on what you are doing now, but you have to continue to work hard every game."

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<TD><IMG SRC="Cooper2.jpg" ALT="Markeith Cooper" BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
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<P>&nbsp;
<h3><B>Up Close With Markeith Cooper</B></h3>
<P><P>


<P><B>What kind of lunchbox would you liked to have had when you were a kid?</B>
<BR><I>"Superman, because he could climb up walls."</I>

<P><B>What is your favorite professional sport? </B>
<BR><I>"Football (The NFL)."</I>

<P><B>Which Auburn jerseys do you prefer, the blue or white?</B>
<BR> <I>"White."</I>

<P><B>Which do you prefer, playing on grass or astro-turf? </B>
<BR><I>"Playing on grass."</I>
<CENTER><P><A HREF="main.html" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> | <A HREF="../main_afi.html" target="_top">PROGRAM
INDEX</A> | <A HREF="http://www.aunetwork.com" target="_top">HOME</A></P></CENTER>

<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>&copy; 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>

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	<H1 ALIGN=CENTER><font color="#3333FF">Senior Profile</FONT> </H1>

	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>Markeith Cooper</I></FONT></H3>
	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER><FONT COLOR="#FF8000"><I>By Adam Prendergast</I></FONT></H3>

	<!--
	<H3 ALIGN=CENTER>by Bob Grant</H3>
	-->





	<P>
	<TABLE ALIGN=RIGHT CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 WIDTH=152>
	<TR>
	<TD><IMG SRC="Cooper1.jpg" ALT="Markeith Cooper" BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
	</TD>
	</TR>
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	<TD><B><FONT SIZE=2></FONT></B>
	</TD>
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	</TABLE>
	<P>Markeith Cooper has gone from a wide receiver, to a running back, to a kick returner. Yet no matter what position the 5-7 senior is playing, he always has one thought in his mind, his son.
	<P>"It's not about me anymore, it's about my son," said Cooper.
	<P>Markeith Cooper Jr. is four years old and lives in Florida but is still on Markeith Sr.'s mind all the time.
	"I want him to have things that I didn't have when I was young, so I try my best so that I can be able to provide for him."
	Growing up in a tough Miami, Fla., neighborhood, Cooper was faced with challenges early in his life that had much more of an impact than any play on the football field.
	<P>"My childhood was crazy because of the environment that I was in," said Cooper. "I was in a bad neighborhood. I had a little child, and that pulled me away from all of that. I was kind of crazy when I was younger, but I went to school and started going to church and I think God put me in this new environment for a reason."
	<P>With the good decisions that Cooper made in the past he led himself to the football field where he began playing at the age of nine. He continued to play and got better all the time. By the time the Liberal Arts major was playing for Palmetto High School, he was breaking records.
	<P>After high school, Cooper was recruited by many top schools all over the nation. But with his test scores coming in late, many schools did not continue to pursue him.
	<P>"It just happened (coming to Auburn), I took my ACT real late and Auburn stuck with me," said Cooper.
	<P>It didn't take Cooper very long to get used to playing in Auburn. In just his second game of his college career, the preseason All-SEC selection ran for 110 yards on eight carries and a touchdown. He also caught one pass for 23 yards that placed him in the end zone again.
	<P>"The Fresno State game my freshman year was incredible," said Cooper. "It was just my second game and I rushed for all those yards and scored two touchdowns. That is the most memorable game for me so far."
	<P>After Cooper finds himself in the end zone, he flashes a golden smile that can be seen throughout the stadium.
	"I want people to remember me as a guy who likes to smile all the time, and a guy who likes to have fun," said Cooper. "I want people to know that when I am out there that I am a guy who is going to give it my all on the field and in the classroom."
	<P>With the 1999 campaign already underway, the high school All-America keeps his main goals to himself, but has some that will carry himself and the Tigers throughout the season.
	<P>"I want to make it through the season without any injuries," said Cooper. " I want to be able to go out and play hard every day."
	<P>Football is not everything to Cooper. Even though he wants to move on and play in the NFL, there are things that are more important to him, such as his fiance Angela Williams, who Cooper plans to marry on February 19 this coming year.
	<P>"I want to play some sort of professional football if it is God's will," said Cooper. "I also want to raise a family. I want to be able to provide for Angela and my Markeith, Jr., so they do not have to worry about anything. I am not living my life for myself anymore I am living it for God, my son, and Angela."
	<P>For now, Cooper is one of the top kick and punt returners in the Southeastern Conference, which is a refreshing change from last year.
	<P>"I am off to a good start, but I have to keep this going until the end of the season. You can't rest on what you are doing now, but you have to continue to work hard every game."

	<TABLE ALIGN=RIGHT CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 WIDTH=152>
	<TR>
	<TD><IMG SRC="Cooper2.jpg" ALT="Markeith Cooper" BORDER=2 ALIGN=RIGHT>
	</TD>
	</TR>
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	<TD><B><FONT SIZE=2></FONT></B>
	</TD>
	</TR>
	</TABLE>



	<P>
	<h3><B>Up Close With Markeith Cooper</B></h3>
	<P><P>


	<P><B>What kind of lunchbox would you liked to have had when you were a kid?</B>
	<BR><I>"Superman, because he could climb up walls."</I>

	<P><B>What is your favorite professional sport? </B>
	<BR><I>"Football (The NFL)."</I>

	<P><B>Which Auburn jerseys do you prefer, the blue or white?</B>
	<BR> <I>"White."</I>

	<P><B>Which do you prefer, playing on grass or astro-turf? </B>
	<BR><I>"Playing on grass."</I>
	<CENTER><P><A HREF="main.html" target="_top">TABLE OF CONTENTS</A> \| <A HREF="../main_afi.html" target="_top">PROGRAM
	INDEX</A> \| <A HREF="http://www.aunetwork.com" target="_top">HOME</A></P></CENTER>

	<P ALIGN=CENTER><I>© 1999 Auburn Network, Inc.</I></P>

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