Jamal Cooper is gone

Suspended indefinitely. Sounds like he won't be back:

Cooper will have access to full academic support services, but will no longer be a part of the football program in any other way.

Ouch. And that's from the official release on the matter. No word on the matter yet but Cooper has had issues in the past.

Presumably senior Kurt Ware will move up the depth chart and assume the starting role.

Daven Jones in, John Clay still out

Daven Jones, who had a bit of trouble qualifying academically last year, has apparently sorted out his issues in the classroom and practiced with the team yesterday. (Also, memo to the July 2006 version of Badger Tracker: Swan and Hubbard turned out to be fairly decent receivers, and that PJ Hill guy did OK too.) There's no such thing as too much depth, and if Jones still possesses the attributes that roused the interest of several D-IA programs a couple falls ago, he'll be an exciting addition to a group that already boasts a track star. Tip of the cap to Mr. Jones for climbing that mountain.

John Clay, though, is another story. He's waiting for summer school grades to come in, and even if those the news is good he may have to sit out the first game; NCAA rules forbid him from joining the team till the first day of classes, September 4, unless a player on the Badgers' 105-man roster voluntarily abdicates his spot or gets injured. We'll see about John.

Also of note, we have a tweak of the depth chart: Jamal Cooper is taking over at right tackle for Kurt Ware as the latter recovers from knee surgery. Also, Shane Carter looked sharp according to both the Journal-Sentinel and the State Journal, so that's a big positive