Here’s hoping Conference USA abandons its post-season honors format.

For the first time in its 10-year history, the league announced two all-conference teams, one voted on by media members in C-USA cities and the other by the coaches.

Either combine the awards voting or choose one.

I, for one, wouldn’t mind yielding to the coaches on this one.

But by choosing one, it will end the confusion surrounding, for example, the coach of the year award. The league had two winners . . . both from the city of Houston. Rice’s Todd Graham won the media honor and Houston’s Art Briles was the coaches’ choice.

Actually, the best method would be to allow the coordinators from each team to vote. The offensive coordinators could pick the defensive players, the defensive coordinators could pick the offensive players and a more representative team would be the result.

John Calipari said before practice Friday that sophomore center Kareem Cooper will likely make his season debut Saturday against Ole Miss.

The 6-11 Cooper was suspended in the preseason for violating team rules, was brought back after the Maui Invitational but hasn’t been in uniform.

“He may play in this game and it has nothing to do with Tennessee,” Calipari said. “Academically he has himself right. They talked to me and told me when I came back where he is and what he’s doing. He’s not in any kind of shape to go in that game and do anything but I’m in all likelihood going to play him in the game.”

When I followed up to ask if Cooper had been in danger of not being academically eligible, Calipari said no but that Cooper had been behind in school and wasn’t going to play until he caught up.

“He’s taken care of business,” Calipari said.
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