Search continues for missing players

CLEARWATER - There is still no sign of four missing football players who left on a fishing trip out of Clearwater Saturday.

The Coast Guard has spent more than 24 hours searching for the 21-foot boat carrying Corey Smith, a Detroit Lions free-agent defensive end, and Marquis Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker. Both played for the Buccaneers in 2004 and both still called Florida home, so do the other two men on board. Will Bleakley and Nick Schuyler are both former USF players.

"We've searched over 3000 square miles all within 750 square mile area which means that we've very heavily saturated that area," Coast Guard Captain Timothy Close said.

Investigators said the group left in Cooper's boat from the Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater at 6:30 on Saturday morning. A concerned family member called the Coast Guard just after 1 a.m. Sunday when the four friends had not returned.

"Our information says they were fishing in a spot about 50 miles west of Clearwater Pass," Capt. Close added.

Coast Guard Capt. Timothy M. Close said there was no communication with the men even before the weather started to pick up and no SOS call was received.

"That's not to say they didn't send one out," he said. "We didn't receive anything."

Sunday the Coast Guard thought it had a good idea of where the men were using GPS coordinates given by the families, and the fact the men had fished in that spot before. The search began Sunday around 2:00 a.m., but heavy winds and high seas made it difficult.

Cooper's truck and boat trailer remain parked at the Seminole Boat Ramp. Family and friends told the Coast Guard the men had life jackets and flares on board.

Stu Schuyler, Nick's father, said the group has never been gone this long before and know something is wrong.

"I'm a nervous wreck. I've been up the street rolling and crying, I'm about ready to cry right now," Schuyler said.

Cooper's father left a note on the truck's dashboard saying "We're all worried about you Cooper" and telling him to call Clearwater Police if he gets the note.

The Raiders, the Lions and the USF Bulls all released statements saying their thoughts and prayers are with the families of all the missing men and those involved in the search.

Coast guard crews resumed search efforts by water and air Monday morning.