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Colt McCoy

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Colt McCoy
CollegeTexas
ConferenceBig 12
SportFootball
PositionQB
ClassRS Freshman
Career2006–present
Height6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight195 lb (88 kg)
NationalityUSA
Born (1986-09-05) September 5, 1986 (age 38)
Hobbs, New Mexico
High schoolJim Ned High School,
Tuscola, Texas
Career highlights
Awards
2006 CFN Big 12 Player of the Year
2006 National Freshman of the Year (TSN, Touchdown Club)

Colt McCoy (born September 5, 1986 in Hobbs, New Mexico[1]) is a quarterback for the Texas Longhorn college football team. As a redshirt freshman in 2006, he was the starting quarterback for the 2006 Longhorn team.[2][3]

On November 4 2006, McCoy threw his 27th touchdown pass in a win against Oklahoma State, to take sole possession of the UT school record for most touchdowns ever thrown by a quarterback in a single season.[4] Subsequently, in the 2006 Alamo Bowl on December 30, Colt McCoy threw two touchdowns against Iowa to tie the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdown passes established by Nevada's David Neill in 1998.[4]

Also during the 2006 season, Colt McCoy was named College Football News Big 12 Player of the Year and was named the quarterback to their "All Freshman Team".[5] Injuries caused him to miss portions of the final two regular season games, but was able to play for the entire duration of the Longhorns' bowl game.

Early life and high school

An often-cited story relates to Colt's birth: McCoy's parents were from Texas but his father, Brad McCoy was working just across the Texas border in New Mexico. Brad McCoy reportedly brought a shoe-box of Texas dirt to the hospital and slid it under the bed so that Colt could be born "over Texas soil".[1] The story may or may not be true, as his father has "pled the fifth" when asked to confirm it.[6]

Colt McCoy attended Jim Ned High School in Tuscola, Texas,[7] population 714,[1] where he was coached in football by his father. He achieved several distinctions as a high school player, including two-time Associated Press 2A Offensive MVP and first-team all-state selection.[7] Over his career, he completed 536-of-849 passes (63.1%) for 9,344 yards and 116 TDs.[7] He ranks as the all-time leading passer in Texas Division 2A high school history and is fourth overall in Texas high school history.[8] McCoy also served as Jim Ned High School's punter as a junior and senior.

Some media features on Colt McCoy refer to him jokingly as "The Real McCoy", this saying may have originated in reference to Joseph McCoy, a 19th century cattle baron, who made good on his pledge to ship a large number of Longhorn cattle from Texas to Kansas.[9][10]

College career

2005 season

As a freshman, he was given a redshirt year so he did not play during the team's 2005 national championship season. He served as the quarterback for the scout team in practice against the starting defense. During this time, he was officially listed as the number three quarterback behind Vince Young and Matt Nordgren. However, McCoy did not play in any games during the season, as coach Mack Brown elected to keep him on the bench so that 2005 did not count as one of his four years of eligibility. Instead, Brown chose to play Matt McCoy (no relation) in four separate game situations where Texas had a commanding lead. This led to confusion on the parts of many sportcasters. Seeing that someone named McCoy was entering the game, and seeing Colt McCoy listed as third on their depth charts, they would mistakenly refer to Matt McCoy as Colt McCoy whenever Matt would enter a game.[11]

With Vince Young forgoing his senior year to enter the NFL, and with Matt Nordgren graduating, the position of starting quarterback for the defending National Champion Texas Longhorns fell to McCoy for the 2006 football season after he won the job over true-freshman Jevan Snead.[12]

2006 season

McCoy hands off to Jamaal Charles vs. Ohio State

In the season opener on September 2 2006, he led the Longhorns to a 56-7 victory over North Texas, throwing three touchdown passes, rushing one yard for a touchdown, and throwing no interceptions. He was 12-19 in passing, and ran for 27 yards to help set up a touchdown. During the game, McCoy threw a 60 yard touchdown pass on only his second pass as a college quarterback. He was the first UT quarterback to start and win a season-opening game since Bobby Layne in 1944.[1] The next week, the Longhorns faced #1 Ohio State at home. McCoy went 19-32, 156 yards, one TD, and one INT while rushing four times for a total of eight yards. Ohio State defeated the Longhorns 24-7, ending the Longhorns 21-game winning streak.

Colt McCoy rushing against Rice

Following wins over Rice, Iowa State, and Sam Houston State, McCoy got his first win over a ranked team, as well as his first come-from-behind victory, when he threw two touchdowns, and led the Longhorns to defeat Oklahoma 28-10 in the Red River Shootout on October 7 2006.[13] The two touchdowns by McCoy gave him 12 touchdown passes for the season, tied for third with Longhorn passer James Brown in the list of most touchdowns by a UT freshman.[14]

On October 14, 2006 Colt McCoy threw a UT record six touchdown passes in the win against Baylor.[15][16] The previous record of five touchdown passes had been held by James Brown (set vs. Baylor in 1994) and Chris Simms (vs. Oklahoma State in 2001). As of 25 October 2006 he was 9th in the nation with a quarterback rating of 165.4.

In the 2006 Oklahoma State game McCoy threw for his 27th passing touchdown of the season, giving him sole possession of the single-season UT record and putting him two TD's shy of the NCAA single season record for freshman quarterbacks (29).[17] Coincidentally, this 27th pass was also for 27 yards.

During the November 11 2006 game against Kansas State University, McCoy suffered a stinger shoulder injury[18][19][20] while rushing for a touchdown against Kansas State.[21] The Longhorns lost in an upset to the Wildcats 45-42. There was speculation that Snead might be the starter for the final regular season game, because it was unknown whether McCoy would return for the Longhorns season closer against arch-rival Texas A&M University on November 24 2006.[22][23][24] However, Colt McCoy was cleared to play the game against the Aggies.[25]

McCoy prior to being taken off the field near the end of the Texas A&M game

With 20 seconds remaining in the Lone Star Showdown versus the Aggies, Colt was injured by a "vicious, stadium-hushing tackle"[26] as Aggie defensive end Michael Bennett connected with his helmet under McCoy's jaw after McCoy had thrown an incomplete pass.[27] Replays showed both on television and in the stadium revealed the hit included "helmet-to-helmet"[28] contact which is illegal in NCAA football if done intentionally,[29] but no flag was thrown. When the replay was shown in the stadium, the Longhorn fans erupted in boos[30] before lapsing back into silence as McCoy lay on the ground for ten minutes before being taken off the field on a cart.[31] Mack Brown said after the game "I didn't see it, but it sounded like 88,000 (fans) thought it was dirty."[27][30] Fellow Longhorn Selvin Young said he thought the hit was a clean hit.[32] McCoy was taken to Brackenridge Hospital where he spent more than three hours undergoing an evaluation that included an X-Ray, MRI, and a CAT scan.[27][33][34] Longhorns trainer Kenny Boyd said the injury was a severe pinched nerve in McCoy's neck.[27][34] Boyd said that McCoy was expected to make a full recovery, but no timetable was set for McCoy to return to play.[27][34] The injury to McCoy came one game-clock minute after an A&M player, #91 Kellen Heard had been evicted from the game for an illegal, blindside late-hit on McCoy. [35][36][37]

On December 1, 2006, the Longhorns issued a statement confirming that back-up quarterback Jevan Snead had left the team and would transfer to an unspecified school;[38] this meant there would be no scholarship quarterback ready to play in the Longhonrns' bowl game if McCoy was not ready. On December 21 2006 UT announced that McCoy was cleared to start in the Alamo Bowl for Texas on Saturday, December 30. [39] During the 2006 Alamo Bowl, Colt McCoy threw two touchdowns against Iowa to tie the NCAA freshman record of 29 touchdown passes previously held by Nevada's David Neill in 1998.[4]

NCAA statistics

    Passing   Rushing
Season Team GP Rating Att Comp Pct Yds TD INT Att Yds TD
2006 Texas Longhorns 13 161.8 318 217 68.2 2570 29 7 68 170 2
Totals 13 161.8 318 217 68.2 2570 29 7 68 170 2

Records

  • UT - Most Touchdown Passes, Single Season: 29, (2006)
  • UT - Most Touchdown Passes, Game: 6, (October 14, 2006 versus Baylor)
  • NCAA - Most Touchdown Passes for a freshman in a single season (Tied): 29, Alamo Bowl (December 30, 2006)[4]

Awards

Outside of football

Colt McCoy is a member of the Church of Christ, and attends University Avenue Church of Christ in Austin, Texas.

McCoy has participated in a church youth group since 2002.[8] His work has included landscaping yards for the elderly, visiting nursing homes, helping with meals on wheels and ministry.[8] Since 2004, he has also spent three days a week reading to elementary school children and tutoring underprivileged children.[8] He enjoys hunting, fishing, and playing golf.[8]

On May 29 2006, Colt McCoy swam 300 yards across a lake to help save the life of Ken Herrington who was having a seizure on a small dock that extended into the privately owned lake.[41][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Schroeder, George (October 5 2006). "McCoy still big news in small town" (PDF). Oklahoman. Retrieved 2007-01-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  2. ^ Dodd, Dennis With Young leaving, Longhorns to unholster Colt CBS Accessed February 28, 2006.
  3. ^ Texas' new No. 1 - McCoy tops QB depth chart heading into spring drills Associated Press Thursday February 23, 2006 - Accessed February 28, 2006.
  4. ^ a b c d Halliburton, Suzanne (December 30 2006). "Texas wins Alamo Bowl 26-24". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  5. ^ a b c Cirminiello, Richard (December 12 2006). "2006 CFN Freshman All-America First Team". College Football News. Retrieved 2006-12-13. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  6. ^ Reagan, Danny (October 18 2006). "Father Brad adds to Colt Lore". GoColtGo.com. Retrieved 2007-01-04. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  7. ^ a b c Chris Dortch, ed. (2005). Blue Ribbon College Football Yearbook 2005. Ambrose Printing Company. p. 121. ISBN 0 9768 6180 1.
  8. ^ a b c d e "Colt McCoy #12". MackBrownTexasFootball. Retrieved 2007-01-05.
  9. ^ American West - The Cattle Industry
  10. ^ Stuebbe, Kevin Quinn The Real McCoys The New York Times August 25, 2002 - Accessed February 28, 2006
  11. ^ Corchan, Michael Ruining a Longhorns game on TV as easy as ABC Austin American Statesman November 14, 2005 - Accessed February 28, 2006
  12. ^ "Texas tabs McCoy to start at quarterback". ESPN. August 29 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Texas tops Oklahoma 28-10". Austin American-Statesman. October 7 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "Texas 28, Oklahoma 10". Austin American-Statesman. October 10 2006. Retrieved 2006-10-07. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  15. ^ Vertuno, Jim (14 October 2006). "No. 6 Texas 63, Baylor 31". Associated Press. Retrieved 2006-10-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  16. ^ Wilkerson, William and Killian, Ryan (16 October 2006). "Unholster the Colt, Longhorns beat early deficit to take 63-31 win over Baylor". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2006-10-16. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ Wilkerson, William (30 October 2006). "McCoy earns, shuns attention after dramatic wins". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2006-10-31. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  18. ^ "X-rays negative on Texas QB McCoy; status uncertain". ESPN. 14 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  19. ^ "UT QB McCoy has time to heal - Week off before A&M game will help UT freshman recover". Dallas Morning News. 13 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  20. ^ "McCoy says he's fine". Austin American-Statesman. 12 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  21. ^ "Texas vs Kansas State (Nov 11, 2006) - Play-by-Play Summary". MackBrownTexasFootball. 11 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  22. ^ Wilkerson, William (14 November 2006). "Bye comes at the right time - Big 12 title still up for grabs despite Texas' loss to Kansas State; McCoy says he's 'fine'". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  23. ^ McDonald, Jeff (12 November 2006). "Football: McCoy's stinger gets time to heal". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  24. ^ Duarte, Joseph (13 November 2006). "McCoy hopes to face Texas A&M - Texas QB gets extra week to heal from pinched nerve". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-11-15. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  25. ^ Killian, Ryan (21 November 2006). "McCoy set to play against Aggies". The Daily Texan. Retrieved 2006-11-23. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  26. ^ Robbins, Kevin (25 November 2006). "Now what for Texas? - Aggies' dominance forces Horns to look for help from Sooners". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2006-11-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ a b c d e Halliburton, Suzanne (25 November 2006). "McCoy suffers severe pinched nerve in neck - Longhorns quarterback spends three hours at hospital for testing". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2006-11-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  28. ^ "McCoy lacks McGee's toughness". The Battalion. 27 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-27. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  29. ^ "2006 Football - Rules and Interpretations" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved 2006-11-26.
  30. ^ a b "Texas A&M runs down Texas to snap 6-game series skid". Associated Press. 24 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  31. ^ Halliburton, Suzanne (25 November 2006). "The gig is up - A&M shoots down Texas streaks with 12-7 win at Royal-Memorial". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2006-11-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  32. ^ Ransom, Eric (25 November 2006). "QB's day unravels in the second half". Fort Worth Star-Telegram. Retrieved 2006-11-26. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  33. ^ "SportsCenter". ESPN. 26 November 2006. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  34. ^ a b c "Texas' McCoy suffers pinched nerve, return unknown". ESPN. 24 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  35. ^ "Longhorns football - Texas A&M 12, Texas 7". Austin American-Statesman. 25 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-11-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  36. ^ Justice, Richard (24 November 2006). "Turn out the lights, Longhorn fans, the party's over". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-11-25. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  37. ^ "Texas A&M vs Texas (Nov 24, 2006)". MackBrownTexasFootball. Retrieved 2006-11-25.
  38. ^ "Texas players elect to transfer". MackBrownTexasFootball. 1 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-01. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  39. ^ "Colt McCoy cleared to play in Alamo Bowl". Associated Press. December 21 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-30. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  40. ^ McCoy national freshman of the year
  41. ^ Dallas Morning News UT QB McCoy helps seizure victim
Preceded by University of Texas Quarterback
2006–present
Succeeded by
incumbent