According to reports from Auburn University, former W.S. Neal Eagle Jared Cooper’s season at Auburn has come to an end.
Cooper, who played left guard at Auburn this season, underwent surgery on Monday to repair an ankle injury suffered against Arkansas. Cooper is a 2007 graduate of W.S. Neal High and earned the first start of his college career earlier this fall.
According to the weekly press conference transcript on http://www.auburntigers.com/sports/m-footbl/spec-rel/101811aaa.html,
Auburn head coach Gene Chizik was quoted in the article saying Cooper had “paid his dues and been through a lot.”
“Here he is finally getting enough playing time where he can have a comfort level,” Chizik said. “We’re going to see if he can rehab fast enough to maybe get back for the bowl game or whatnot, but we’ll see.”
Cooper started the first six games at left guard before injuring his lower right leg. Cooper is a senior who was a backup until this season. Chad Slade replaced him against Florida
Chizik’s thoughts from the press conference on Cooper:
On offensive lineman Jared Cooper and wide receiver Emory Blake…
“Jared Cooper just had surgery yesterday so he’s out for the year. Chad Slade played last week, and Chad’s improving. I don’t know the status on Emory right now. Really and truly, that’s probably 50-50. We were hoping it would be more in favor of him playing, but right now I can’t say that that’s true. So again, we’ll continue to monitor that as we go.”

On being disappointed for Cooper after coming as far as he has…
“I hate it. You talk about a guy who’s paid his dues and been through a lot, he’s one of maybe two or three fifth-year guys we have left here that came five years ago. Here he is finally getting enough playing time where he can have a comfort level. His and my conversation two days ago, he was just starting to feel like `Man, I get this.’ Because you can practice all you want, and you can be around it all you want, but until you get in the games and you play against the opponents we play against, you don’t really get it until you’ve done it. He was just at that point where he was really starting to feel good, feel confident, and unfortunately this happens. We’re going to see if he can rehab fast enough to maybe get back for the bowl game or whatnot, but we’ll see.”