Monday 26 March 2012

Colt McCoy

Colt McCoy Biography
Daniel Colt McCoy was born on Sept. 5, 1986, in Hobbs, N.M.
Legend has it that his father, who was coaching at Lovington, N.M., at the time, sprinkled some dirt from the Lone Star state under the hospital bed before his son’s birth so he could say Colt was born on Texas soil. That’s a great story whether it’s true or not.

IN THE BEGINNING ...

Colt’s formative years were spent in Tuscola, Tex., just south of Abilene in what is known as the Big Country (or Texas Midwest). He watched Troy Aikman on TV as a young boy and found a sports hero he would eventually emulate in more ways than one.

Tuscola’s population was about 650 when Colt arrived in 1997, the spring of his 7th grade school year. His family lived in a ranch house a few miles from town where assorted animals roamed the 10 acres. Country living gave young Colt a deep appreciation for the outdoors where he hunted and fished. Having a coach for a father helped him develop his athletic prowess. “Of course, he was ballboy from the time he could walk,” said father Brad. And he helped his dad break down game films from the time he was 12.

His parents instilled in him and his brothers, Chance and Case, a strong sense of family and the value and necessity of living a Christian life. Colt was very involved in church activities, and was baptized by his grandfather when he was 16. He helped the Tuscola and Abilene communities by doing yard work for senior citizens, delivering Meals on Wheels, participating in the Don't Mess With Texas program and performing other volunteer work. He also devoted three days a week for more than two years to reading at elementary schools and mentoring and tutoring underprivileged children.

Colt’s work-ethic was greatly influenced by his grandfather during summers spent working on his ranch outside of Brownwood where Colt did everything from "riding fence" to feeding livestock, baling hay, yardwork and even picking cotton and driving a tractor. Back in Tuscola he mowed lawns for extra money.

He learned discipline from his parents, and tested his resolve the summer between his sophomore and junior years when he gave up his habit of six Dr Peppers a day. Supposedly, he hasn't had one since, not even after the 2006 Oklahoma game in celebration.

Colt’s parents were also responsible for the athletic genes that helped Colt become the player he is today. His mother Debra was a basketball prep star in Atlanta, Georgia, and later played at Abilene Christian University. His father played safety for the ACU Wildcats football team. They met there and soon married. Colt is their eldest son.

A “full-circle” irony is that Colt’s father was roommate at college with Bob Shipley, the father of current University of Texas senior wide receiver Jordan Shipley. Colt and Jordan have been friends since childhood, and in the 2006 season the pair connected for four touchdowns, followed in 2007 by 5 TDs. After only 8 games in 2008, the two have matched up 11 times for paydirt. Jordan was one of the influencing factors behind Colt considering UT.

COLT THE INDIAN

Even as a sophomore in high school, Colt caught the eye of Mack Brown and many other major college coaches as he played quarterback for his father at Tuscola’s Jim Ned High School. There he went 34-2 as a starter in three seasons and was twice named statewide Class 2A MVP by the Associated Press. Two times he was named to the first-team, all-state team by the Texas Sports Writers Association. Dozens of other state, local and regional awards came his way as well.

During his stellar prep career for the Indians, Colt completed 63% of his passes (536-of-849) for more than five miles in real estate (9,344 yards) and for three digits in TDs (116) – cumulative stats that made him the best passer in the state in Class 2A history. Almost going unnoticed because of his accurate arm was his career 1,575 yards rushing and 21 trips into the endzone.

As a junior at Jim Ned, Colt led his team all the way to the state Class 2A championship game before losing 28-7 to San Augustine and finishing 14-1 with 50 TD passes for the year – a single-season state record.

The storybook ending to his high school career almost happened. He led Jim Ned to the District 3-2A title his senior year, and the Indians were breezing through the playoffs (108 points scored in two games) until being edged, 32-27, by Canadian, the eventual state champion. Still, as a senior, Colt led his team to a 12-1 record, completing 204-of-315 passes (64.8%) for 3,806 yards and 47 touchdowns.

Colt was also punter for two seasons and lettered for four years in basketball and three years in track. While at Jim Ned, Colt was a student council leader, an office aide, 2004 Class Favorite, Most Outstanding Male Athlete and Mr. Jim Ned High School. He was a member of the National Honor Society for three years and finished with a grade point average exceeding 98. When announcers say he is a “smart” quarterback, it’s the truth.

BURNT ORANGE NATION

Colt made his decision early to become a Longhorn, announcing at the end of his junior year in high school that Austin was where he was going, and he wasn’t going to change his mind (click for 2004 news story). “I kind of did this to get it off my shoulders,” he said at the time. “It feels really good.” He was recruited by Duke, Stanford, Houston, Texas A&M, Kansas State and several other universities too numerous to mention.

coltbio1.jpg McCoy was red-shirted his first year at UT and had a front row seat watching Vince Young lead his troops to a national championship. Colt made the honor roll his first semester in college, is still very much a practicing Christian who continually gives God the credit for his amazing athletic abilities, and is living proof that there is life after Young.

In high school his playing weight was 188 pounds on a 6-2 1/2 frame. He’s listed on the 2008 UT roster as 6-3 and 210 pounds. His “smartness” on the field in his first season behind center translated into starting all 13 games and becoming the first freshman to win 10 games. He also accumulated some impressive statistics, including matching the NCAA record of 29 TD passes for a freshman, plus a UT record six touchdown passes in one game against Baylor – only his seventh start for the ‘Horns. Six TD passes in one game is “old hat” to Colt. As a senior in high school against Grape Creek he had that same number in a 55-0 victory. Forty percent of his 15 completions in that game went for paydirt.

Even before the Ohio State game in Austin early in the 2006 season, Todd Jones of the Columbus Dispatch wrote of Colt: “Coaches and teammates marvel at McCoy’s calm demeanor, his confidence, his business-like approach to listening and asking questions. He’s an information sponge trying to replace iconic quarterback Vince Young.”

Other adjectives used when discussing Colt - back in high school and now at UT - are: nice, likeable, level-headed, humble, God-fearing, terrific, clean-living, honest, trustworthy, loyal and fearless.

On the official UT athletics website, “The McCoy File” sums up Colt the quarterback and Colt the young man. His dream is to “lead my team to a national championship,” and after his football career is over, he hopes to “have a great job and a happy family.”

Not a bad “introductory” bio for someone who made his first start at quarterback for the defending national champions while still a teenager. And judging by the thrilling win in the Alamo Bowl and the two dozen AWARDS he won in 2006 - despite injuries in the final two games of the regular season - it is indeed only the beginning for this young man.
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Thad Castle on Colt McCoy.mp4
James Harrison hit on Colt McCoy 2011

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