Cooper Morrison Carlisle came to Gainesville from McComb, Mississippi, where he was one of the highest rated high school players in the country. Cooper played offensive guard for Steve Spurrier's Florida Gators from 1995 to 1999. He was redshirted his freshman year, but he was a starter on the 1996 National Championship team. He had a great senior year, where he was team captain and was named to the All SEC squad. In all four years of football, he remained on the SEC Academic Honor Roll, and he graduated with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1999 before heading off to the NFL.
