Hargreaves-Cooper matchup offers intriguing subplot to Gators-Bama
Tuesday, September 16, 2014 | Football, Women's Swimming & Diving, Scott Carter
Vernon Hargreaves is excited about matchup with Tide receiver Amari Cooper. (Photo: Tim Casey)
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – They have totally opposite missions on Saturday.
Gators cornerback Vernon Hargreaves III will try to prevent catches. Alabama receiver Amari Cooper will try to haul in as many passes as he can.
The Hargreaves-Cooper battle is perhaps the most intriguing subplot to Saturday's Florida-Alabama showdown at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
The winner of their matchup figures to have better odds of being on the winning team.
“He's excited, I'm excited, we both know the magnitude of the game, and it's going to be a great matchup,'' Hargreaves said.
A freshman All-American last season, Hargreaves' sophomore season is off to a good start in the first two games. He broke up a career-high four passes in Florida's triple-overtime win against Kentucky.
Hargreaves is the glue of a Gators secondary that was hot and cold against Kentucky. The Gators picked off three passes but allowed 173 yards on six explosive plays that drew the ire of head coach Will Muschamp.
To beat Alabama the Gators must tighten up their communication issues in the secondary. And at least contain Cooper to some degree, which no one has been able to do thus far.
Cooper (photo, left) leads the country with 33 receptions and ranks third with 464 yards receiving in three games. To put Cooper's production in perspective, he has accounted for more than 50 percent of Alabama's receiving yards under first-year offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin.
Cooper's explosive start has some hyping him as the early Heisman favorite despite the fact a receiver hasn't won the award since Desmond Howard in 1991.
Cooper's on pace to shatter Julio Jones' school-record for receptions (78) and yards (1,133) in a season, set in 2010.
"They do a nice job in the run game of getting the ball to him in a lot of what I call quick situation, of seeing a bad box, getting it out to him on the perimeter, creating some one-on-ones,'' Muschamp said. “[They] move him around a little bit and we've got to make sure we identify him and know where he is. He's been targeted a bunch in their first three games, so there's no question he's a playmaker.”
Cooper is dangerous after the catch, picking up at least 13 yards-after-catch six times according to TideSports.com.
“Everybody knows what's coming,” Hargreaves said. “Obviously I'm going to be covering him but you know I'm excited for it.”
While Hargreaves and Cooper will be matched up often, Cooper also lines up in the slot, presenting a challenge for Florida's linebackers and safeties in coverage.
Cooper told reporters Monday he respects Hargreaves and the two follow each other on Twitter and have messaged one another in the past.
“He's fast, quick,'' Cooper said. “He plays smart.”
If Gators defensive lineman Dante Fowler Jr. wasn't playing Saturday, he would probably turn on the TV and watch Hargreaves and Cooper.
The matchup has that type of potential.
“I knew Amari Cooper in the Under Armour Game and I saw him in practice and he's a great receiver,'' Fowler said Tuesday. “And being able to see Vernon, see how good he is, that's going to be a good matchup. I can't wait to see that.”
