For GW duo, Frankford game now, Temple later

If it wasn't for some prodding from his uncle Reuben White, George Washington's Daquan Cooper probably would still be among a boatload of area seniors trying to impress Division I coaches.

White, formerly a running back for Washington, made sure Cooper, an up-and-coming wide receiver, attended a one-day camp at Temple in June.

"I didn't even know I was going until just before it," Cooper said. "My uncle signed me up. My plan then was just to show up, learn a few things, and improve my skills. I wasn't expecting to get an offer."

With his speed and ball-catching talents, the 5-foot-10, 165-pounder impressed Temple's coaches. A meeting with coach Al Golden followed.

"It was amazing to be sitting in his office," the 18-year-old said. "He offered me a scholarship, told me to go home and talk it over with my family. They were just as excited as I was. It didn't take too long before I was on the phone with Temple."

With the Owls recruit as one of quarterback Tony Smith's top targets, Washington will renew its rivalry with Frankford on Saturday. The Public League Gold Division clash is set for 6 p.m. at Northeast High.

"It's a big game," said Cooper, also a cornerback and kick returner. "We take every game seriously, though. We don't sleep on anybody."

The speedy Cooper will be joined at Temple by teammate and fellow senior Brandon Chudnoff, a 6-2, 230-pound guard and defensive end.

"He's one of my best friends," Cooper said. "That he's going there with me, that's icing on the cake."

In Saturday's opener against St. Joseph's Prep, Cooper snagged five passes for 71 yards in a 36-25 loss. The highlight came in the second quarter when he leaped over the back of cornerback Mike DeFeo for a 29-yard reception.

Cooper also remembers the pass, just seven plays earlier, that got away. He beat DeFeo along the right sideline, near the Prep's 40, but let Smith's toss slip off his fingertips. "Yeah, I should have had it," he said. "I've got to make that catch."

Until recently, Cooper, who lives in Mount Airy, was far from the hardest worker on the field or in the classroom.

"I was kind of lazy," he conceded. "My uncle and other people had to jump on me a little bit. I realized that I had to start being more serious about things."

Said Washington coach Ron Cohen: "I always felt he was probably one of the best athletes on the team. But he wasn't pushing himself enough. During the winter, with the help of his uncle, that changed."

Cooper, clocked at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash, also competes in track and field, specializing in the 100- and 200-meter dashes. "I don't take it too seriously," he said. "It's fun, something else to do."

The Pioneers, with a wing-T offense as their trademark, are aiming for their first win over the Eagles since the 2006 league final.

"This rivalry is as big as any out there," said Mike Capriotti, Frankford's seventh-year coach.