Colt McCoy – Quarterback for the Texas Longhorns

By Danny Reagan / Abilene, Texas

Major Applewhite may be the new running backs coach for the University of Texas, but guess who he'll be talking to a lot?

Yep, you got that right! And that could be the best thing for Colt McCoy as he continues his maturation process.

Honestly, I don't remember a lot about that whole Major Applewhite vs. Chris Simms thing years ago. As an outsider, seems like to me the UT fans took turns disliking one and then the other (although each was pretty good), and they both were called "Opie?" I do remember that Applewhite tore his ACL, and that no doubt limited his "comeback" and subsequent "duel" with Simms.

Fast forward to the new "Opie" ... Colt has to benefit from the presence of the quarterback who dominates most of the numbers on the Individual Passing Records pages of the UT record book.

Let's look at some of the records ... and remember Major was 22-8 as a starter in his career which spanned four years, and Colt is 20-6 after two years.

Colt already holds three records - most TDs (6) in a single game, most TDs in a single season (29) and most completions in a game (32). Major had 4 TDs on three separate occasions, while Colt has had three other games with 4 TDs each. Major holds the most completions in a season record at 271 (bowl games are not counted). If bowls were counted, Colt's 276 this past year would be tops.

The most amazing record Major holds is most conseutive passes without an interception. In 1999 he went 156 without one and then after that pick went 138 without another one - all in the same season!

He was also good at the long ball, with TD throws of 97, 96 and 80 yards in his career. Colt's longest so far is 72 yards.

The two also share a couple of records - most attempts in a game (47), fastest to a 1,000 yards in a single season (4 games) and most 200-yard games in a season (11).

Barring injury or a total collapse, there are several individual records Major holds that Colt could easily surpass. This isn't an all-inclusive list, but you get the idea:

TD career passes - Major with 60; Colt with 50.

Most career 200-yard games - Major with 29; Colt with 16.

Most career yards - Major with 8,353; Colt with 5,699.

Most career attempts - Major with 1,065; Colt with 671.

Most career completions - Major with 611; Colt with 472.

Colt no doubt benefited from a year of watching Vince Young lead the Longhorns to the national championship. Who else could possibly be a better mentor for a young Texas quarterback?

Yep, you got that right!

Posted by at 10:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Well, that's the 2007 season, and since this is a Colt McCoy blog and not necessarily a Longhorns blog, there probably won't be a lot from me between now and next summer.

Oh, something might happen on Signing Day or in the late February drills or later in spring drills, but on a regular basis, I won't see you all again until next August or so.

In the meantime, talk amongst yourselves in the chatroom ... but play nice.

And remember, if any of you want to write a guest blog that deals with Colt and/or the Longhorns, feel free to email it to me at reagand@dotfrontier.com. Aggie-slayer and burnt-orange-blooded Mary from Leander has written a few in the past, so don't be shy.

Posted by at 9:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

With the announcement by Jamaal Charles that he is entering the NFL draft you think it would be prudent to revise my prediction for next season (see entry below).

After all, the old play-action pass won't be as effective without him in the lineup, meaning more pressure for Colt McCoy and the offensive line.

However, I don't think I will change my prognostication just yet. One, Charles could still change his mind back. Two, Vondrell McGee and Chris Ogbonnaya aren't exactly chopped liver. Three, judging by the success at the Holiday Bowl, I expect to see John Chiles in the lineup more - both with and without McCoy in the same backfield.

I expect Mack Brown to utilize the two quarterbacks in big games like he never has before, thus confounding opposing defenses. He can do this because Chiles is anxious to show what he has, and McCoy doesn't have a big, selfish ego. He's a team guy.

Here is next season's schedule and my idea of the outcome of each game.

2008 University of Texas Schedule

W - 8/30 - FLORIDA ATLANTIC -- Too long a road trip for the Owls to face too much firepower.

W - 9/06 - at UTEP -- The first half won't be a cake-walk, but big brother beats little brother easily.

W - 9/13 - ARKANSAS -- Unless Darren McFadden changes his mind, this one won't be a contest.

W - 9/20 - RICE -- These Owls will be less trouble than those 3 games before.

W - 10/04 - at Colorado -- This one will be close since the Sooners are next, but the Horns will win by at least a TD.

W - 10/11 - vs. Oklahoma (Dallas) -- Mack Brown will use this game to unveil new ways of using McCoy and Chiles that will stun the Sooners.

W - 10/18 - MISSOURI -- The Longhorns will take advantage of home field and the new offense which the Tigers haven't had a chance to counter.

W - 10/25 - OKLAHOMA STATE -- Ditto the above entry for Missouri.

L - 11/01 - at Texas Tech -- The pressure of an undefeated season, being on the road and the experience of the Red Raider offense will take its toll.

W - 11/08 - BAYLOR -- The Bears in Austin. No more to say.

W - 11/15 - at Kansas -- This will be one of the two toughest games all season (see Tech above for the other), but the Horns will know if they win out, they'll capture the South title.

W - 11/28 or 29 - TEXAS A&M -- The Horns will win this one because they know if they lose to the Aggies three times in a row, that will start in motion the Apocalypse.

Posted by at 11:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)