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Emanuel Cook: Class failed, lesson learned
Former Gamecock works to assure NFL evaluators they can count on him
Emanuel Cook works out for scouts during the pro timing day Wednesday at USC.
Tracy Glantz/tglantz@thestate.com
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Written by JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com
Though he uncharacteristically dropped a few passes in the final drill, Emanuel Cook was just glad to be a part of South Carolina's pro timing day Wednesday.
As late as Tuesday, Cook was uncertain whether he would be allowed to attend.
In his first public comments since he was ruled ineligible for the Outback Bowl, the hard-hitting strong safety apologized to fans for not keeping up with his academic responsibilities, but said he did not quit on his teammates.
When USC coach Steve Spurrier announced in December that Cook would miss the bowl game, Spurrier indicated initially that Cook had mailed it in midway through the semester.
"I never gave up on my team. I see these players all the time. I have a lot of love for my teammates," Cook said. "I just slipped in the class. I was really trying to maintain two classes, and I slipped up and failed one class by two points."
Cook, the Gamecocks' leading tackler his last two seasons, failed to pass the minimum six hours the NCAA requires for players to be eligible for bowls. Cook said he approached the professor of the retail-fashion course he narrowly failed about the possibility of extra credit but was turned down.
Cook blamed himself for doing the minimum by trying to "maintain" passing grades in just two classes.
"That was my fault," he said. "That's why I hurt my team, my coaches, everybody."
Officials were not inclined to allow Cook or linebacker Dustin Lindsey to participate in pro timing day because neither was eligible for the bowl. They relented, although they plan to put a policy in place for next year that would prevent former players who leave on bad academic terms from returning to campus to work out for pro scouts.
"I got nothing but love from this city — the players, the fans, the coaches. Everybody showed me love," Cook said. "I know it's a big disappointment. I apologize to the fans, the university, players, everybody for being ineligible for the bowl game. I know I let the team down. I hurt the team, definitely."
Cook said he has not spoken with Spurrier since December, although he chatted with Gamecocks receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Wednesday following his weight-room tests.
Cook, a second-team All-SEC selection by the conference's coaches last season, said he watched the Gamecocks' 31-10 loss to Iowa on TV and wondered if he might have made a difference.
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said he jokingly told Cook that Iowa tailback Shonn Greene would have run over Cook, as well.
"He felt like he let us down. But he played hard while he was here. He missed one game," said Munnerlyn, who attended Deion Sanders' training camp in Texas with Cook.
"I feel like he's on himself too hard about that. It's time to let it go. Things happen. I know in the future he wouldn't do that no more. He wouldn't let his team down."
Cook said he has had to assure NFL teams of that when interviewing with them.
"They've been asking me, 'Am I going to let them down? Would I let their team down?'" said Cook, who is projected by most analysts as a mid- to late-round pick. "I've been telling them no, I learned from my mistake and I feel I'm a better person now."
Former Gamecock works to assure NFL evaluators they can count on him
Emanuel Cook works out for scouts during the pro timing day Wednesday at USC.
Tracy Glantz/tglantz@thestate.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Written by JOSEPH PERSON
jperson@thestate.com
Though he uncharacteristically dropped a few passes in the final drill, Emanuel Cook was just glad to be a part of South Carolina's pro timing day Wednesday.
As late as Tuesday, Cook was uncertain whether he would be allowed to attend.
In his first public comments since he was ruled ineligible for the Outback Bowl, the hard-hitting strong safety apologized to fans for not keeping up with his academic responsibilities, but said he did not quit on his teammates.
When USC coach Steve Spurrier announced in December that Cook would miss the bowl game, Spurrier indicated initially that Cook had mailed it in midway through the semester.
"I never gave up on my team. I see these players all the time. I have a lot of love for my teammates," Cook said. "I just slipped in the class. I was really trying to maintain two classes, and I slipped up and failed one class by two points."
Cook, the Gamecocks' leading tackler his last two seasons, failed to pass the minimum six hours the NCAA requires for players to be eligible for bowls. Cook said he approached the professor of the retail-fashion course he narrowly failed about the possibility of extra credit but was turned down.
Cook blamed himself for doing the minimum by trying to "maintain" passing grades in just two classes.
"That was my fault," he said. "That's why I hurt my team, my coaches, everybody."
Officials were not inclined to allow Cook or linebacker Dustin Lindsey to participate in pro timing day because neither was eligible for the bowl. They relented, although they plan to put a policy in place for next year that would prevent former players who leave on bad academic terms from returning to campus to work out for pro scouts.
"I got nothing but love from this city — the players, the fans, the coaches. Everybody showed me love," Cook said. "I know it's a big disappointment. I apologize to the fans, the university, players, everybody for being ineligible for the bowl game. I know I let the team down. I hurt the team, definitely."
Cook said he has not spoken with Spurrier since December, although he chatted with Gamecocks receivers coach Steve Spurrier Jr. on Wednesday following his weight-room tests.
Cook, a second-team All-SEC selection by the conference's coaches last season, said he watched the Gamecocks' 31-10 loss to Iowa on TV and wondered if he might have made a difference.
Cornerback Captain Munnerlyn said he jokingly told Cook that Iowa tailback Shonn Greene would have run over Cook, as well.
"He felt like he let us down. But he played hard while he was here. He missed one game," said Munnerlyn, who attended Deion Sanders' training camp in Texas with Cook.
"I feel like he's on himself too hard about that. It's time to let it go. Things happen. I know in the future he wouldn't do that no more. He wouldn't let his team down."
Cook said he has had to assure NFL teams of that when interviewing with them.
"They've been asking me, 'Am I going to let them down? Would I let their team down?'" said Cook, who is projected by most analysts as a mid- to late-round pick. "I've been telling them no, I learned from my mistake and I feel I'm a better person now."
