Colt McCoy

Classroom

McCoy, who is on pace to graduate with a degree in sports management in December, was a 2008 first-team Academic All-Big 12, a three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, a four-time member of UT’s Athletics Directors Honor Roll (3.0 GPA) and the Big 12 Commissioner’s List and an Academic All-American nominee. He was tabbed Texas’ student-athlete of the month in September of 2007.

Character

McCoy was a member of the 2008 Allstate AFCA Good Works team for his efforts on the field and in the community. He was selected to the 2007 Big 12 Good Works team. He serves as a mentor at local elementary and middle schools and was honored by the Texas State Senate for his “achievement in the classroom, community and on the field” in April, 2009. He is a member of the UT spirit organization, the Texas Cowboys, a group whose mission it is to foster positive relationships among all members of the university community. He is just the second-ever three-time UT team MVP as voted on by his teammates.

Community

One of Texas’ most active community service participants, McCoy has traveled to Peru to do mission work during each of the last two spring breaks. He regularly visits patients at the Dell Children’s Hospital in Austin. He is a regular speaker at Fellowship of Christian Athletes events in Austin and around the state. He has also volunteered time at the The Arch of the Capital Area, The Rise School of Austin (a school that assists children with disabilities), Children’s Miracle Network Telethon, the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Caritas of Austin (provides food for the homeless) and Boys and Girls Club. He was the featured speaker at the 2008 Eastside Community Connection event (a benefit for less fortunate children in East Austin) and the National Junior Honor Society in Austin.

Competition

During the 2008 season, McCoy accumulated the following awards: Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year, Sporting News Co-Player of the Year, Archie Griffin Award winner (Columbus TD Club) and Chevrolet NCAA Offensive Player of the Year. He was a consensus first-team All-American. He was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, finishing second in one of the closest races in Heisman history. He was a finalist for the Maxwell Award, Davey O’Brien Quarterback Award and the Manning Award. He was the Associated Press Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. He earned UT’s Roy Williams/Joe Jamail Leadership Award and was tabbed a Longhorn team captain. He capped the year by completing a UT and BCS Bowl Game record 41-of-58 passes (70.7%) for 414 yards (second-best in BCS bowl history) in leading Texas to a 24-21 win over No. 10 Ohio State in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. He led the Horns to a 12-1 record (second-most wins in UT history) and No. 3 final ranking and guided Texas through a gauntlet of four straight Top 11 opponents (just the ninth team in the history of the AP Poll to face such a challenge), winning three straight over Top 11 foes (No. 1 Oklahoma, No. 11 Missouri and No. 7 Oklahoma State). He set 11 UT single-season records, including passing yards, TD passes, total yards (4,420) and TDs responsible for (45). He completed 332-of-433 passes (76.7%/first NCAA) for 3,859 yards and 34 TDs (eight INTs) for a passer rating of 173.8 (third NCAA). He shattered the NCAA single-season record for completion percentage at 76.7% (73.6% was the old record) and also led the team in rushing with 561 yards and 11 TDs. He was one of only two QBs nationally that passed for over 3,500 yards and rushed for more than 500 (only one at a BCS conference school). He is 32-7 in 39 career starts at Texas.