Graig Cooper’s recruitment is open, but it won’t be for long.

Cooper, a running back from Milford Academy in New Berlin, N.Y., said he still considers himself committed to Miami, but he’s decided to look at other schools after coach Larry Coker was fired Nov. 24.

The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Cooper said along with Miami he’s considering Tennessee, Oklahoma State and Florida. He said he has interest in LSU but hasn’t spoken to the Tigers’ coaching staff.

Cooper doesn’t have much time to choose a school. He plans to enroll in college in January and said he wants to make his decision by Dec. 20.

"Whichever school I decide to go to, I’m going there in January," he said. "I ain’t waiting until June, the summer time to go. I’m going there next month. I’ve got to make a decision quick."

Cooper said he knew there was a good chance Coker would be let go while Miami struggled to a 6-6 record, but he was disappointed when he heard Coker’s firing was official.

"I knew he was a good person," he said. "When he talked to me, he always said the truth to me. He let me be myself man. I loved him."

Cooper said he’s anxious to see who replaces Coker, but he won’t wait around to find out.

"I don’t have that much time," he said. "I can’t just be sitting and waiting on a coach."

Cooper, who attended Memphis Melrose High School last year, has taken official visits to Miami and Oklahoma State and has trips scheduled to UT on Dec. 8 and Florida on Dec. 15.

Cooper said he has a strong interest in UT, but he’s also concerned by the Vols’ depth at running back. Arian Foster will be a junior next season, and LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty are just finishing their redshirt freshman seasons.

"I’m looking at Tennessee hard but Tennessee’s got a lot of backs," Cooper said. "I look at that, too."

Still, the Memphis native said he’s intrigued by the possibility of returning to play in his home state.

"They’ve got a big time program," he said. "I like the way they’re playing this year. I like the way they use the running backs and stuff."

UT showed strong interest in Cooper last year before he signed with Miami. He said he’s been impressed with UT’s resurgence after the Vols finished 5-6 a year ago.

"Last year they weren’t good and now they’ve bounced back," he said. "They’re even better. They’ve shown their real talent."

Cooper said he’s spoken with UT coach Phillip Fulmer, who convinced him to schedule an official visit to UT.

"We just talked a little bit," Cooper said. "He just told me to visit and he looked forward to seeing me."