Alabama wide receiver Amari Cooper (9).Whether Alabama decides on Blake Sims or Jacob Coker at quarterback or continues using both in games, there has been one proven Crimson Tide weapon inflicting damage each week regardless of who’s under center.
Junior receiver Amari Cooper has been brilliant in the victories over West Virginia and Florida Atlantic. The 6-foot-1, 210-pounder from Miami has 25 receptions for 319 yards, leading the nation in each category.
Cooper set Alabama freshman records with 59 catches for 1,000 yards during the Tide’s 2012 national championship season, but the improvement he’s made since has coach Nick Saban beaming.
“He’s always had great ability, and he’s played a lot of really, really good football for us,” Saban said this week, “but I think the biggest difference is that he’s matured in terms of his ability to overcome bad plays and never really show any frustration. He can just go on to the next play and continue to play well. That’s really effectively made him a much more successful player, because his consistency in performance is much, much better because of that.”
After catching 12 passes for 130 yards in the opener in Atlanta, Cooper tallied 13 receptions for 189 yards and a touchdown in last week’s rout of the Owls. His 13 catches tied Alabama’s single-game mark set by DJ Hall against Tennessee in 2007.