After tearing ligaments in his left foot during BYU's annual Blue/White Spring game at LaVell Edwards Stadium, an injury serious enough to keep him off the field for the entire 2007 season, Cooper decided to transfer to another school.

Cooper, the NJCAA Offensive Player of the Year at Snow College in 2006, was recruited by Nebraska, Arizona, Oklahoma, Troy, Utah State, Northern Arizona, Weber State and Utah. Until BYU officially releases Cooper from his scholarship, the 6-foot-3, 205-pound junior cannot talk about a possible transfer site.

"As of right now, I have no idea where I'm going," he said. "It's unfortunate that the injury happened when it happened. It set me back enough to where the opportunity to play was not there. My opportunity to play diminished."

Sophomore Max Hall was named the starting quarterback following the spring game. He was 15 of 19 for 139 yards. Brenden Gaskins, a sophomore transfer, completed 19 of 22 passes for 174 yards.

"I understand and respect Cade's willingness and desire to compete. He's an outstanding young man," head coach Bronco Mendenhall said in a statement released by BYU. "We hope he can find a program where he will be able to make a valuable contribution and lead a team."

Cooper, who is from Lehi, led Snow College to a No. 2 national ranking with an 11-1 record. He threw for 3,103 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Early in the spring game, Cooper tore the ligaments connecting three joints on the top of his foot. Two screws that were inserted into a bone in Cooper's foot are scheduled to be removed in two months.

Cooper said the recovery process would rob him of a chance to compete for the BYU job.

"I felt that there would have been plenty of opportunity to play," he said. "Things were going well. Max is going to have a great season. Not only that, they have a great backup now.

"It's always been a dream of mine to play there. But it is an even bigger dream to be on the field."

Cooper, who expects a full recovery, said the injury should not scare off schools looking for a quarterback.

"Through the process, I learned a lot about [Mendenhall]," he said. "He truly, truly wants the best for his players. He's a man of his word and I'm sad I'm not going to be coached by him."