Sitting in the University of Cincinnati sports information office dressed casually in a pair of shorts, a white golf shirt and a cap, John Cooper could have been mistaken for a UC booster trying to scrounge a media guide. He looked nothing like the head coach of one of the most famous college football programs in America, which he was for the past 13 years before Ohio State fired him.

        Cooper was on the UC campus Thursday afternoon shaking hands with UC assistant coaches, taking a crash course on the Bearcat football program, part of the preparation for his new career. He'll make his debut as a color analyst Sunday afternoon at Nippert Stadium when he joins Jimmy Dykes and Dr.Jerry Punch on ESPN2's telecast of the UC-Purdue game.

        “I want to do a good job,” Cooper said, “so I've worked extremely hard to familiarize myself with the personnel. You try to go back and get as many tidbits as you can. There's a lot that goes into this.”

        Of course, if Cooper had his way, he'd be in Columbus on Sunday, perhaps watching someone else do the color commentary for the UC game while he concentrates on preparing Ohio State for its Sept.8 opener against Akron. But Cooper was fired last fall, one day after the Buckeyes lost in the Outback Bowl to South Carolina 24-7.

        This is the first time in about 40 years that a season has begun without him patrolling a sideline. He admits it's very strange.

        “It's hard,” Cooper said. “I've been a coach all my life. That's all I've ever done. Obviously, it's been different for me. I'm a new grandpa. That's been a blessing. That kept me busy. And now I'm looking forward to doing some TV work.”

        Cooper's downfall at Ohio State, as every college football fan knows, was his failure to consistently beat archrival Michigan. He was 109-33-1 against everybody else, 2-10-1 against the hated Wolverines. He also had trouble winning bowl games (3-8) and acquired a reputation for having his teams peak too early.

        But he still ranks as the second-winningest coach in the school's history behind Woody Hayes, and he has 193 coaching victories on his resume.

        “I wanted to finish my career at Ohio State,” Cooper said. “I had three years to go on my contract, but quite honestly this was going to be my last year. I hoped to coach there this year and then get a buyout. I hoped to win 200 games, stay in Columbus and live happily ever after. But it didn't work out that way.”

Cooper takes mike for UC-Purdue telecast Parking tips for UC-Purdue game

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