Badgers’ Cooper kicked off team

It’s strike three for University of Wisconsin senior defensive end Jamal Cooper.

When Cooper was suspended on Friday, for the third time in a little more than a year, by Badgers coach Bret Bielema, the press release said Cooper would be out “indefinitely.”

“I probably should have said (it) as strong as I could,” Bielema said Monday. “Jamal Cooper will not be back with this team.”

Whatever Cooper did, which apparently happened during Friday’s late-afternoon practice, it was enough to convince Bielema to kick him off the team for good.

Although the timing was less than ideal, given Cooper had worked as the starting left end for almost the entire preseason camp, Bielema told the team it could have been worse.

“When we met, obviously, something needed to be addressed,” Bielema said of the team meeting. “I said, ‘The worst thing that happened is it happened last Friday. The best thing that happened is that it happened last Friday. It’s not going to happen this Friday or any Friday after that. It’s behind us and we’re moving on.’ “

Wisconsin hosts Washington State on Saturday.