Alex Okafor and Colt McCoy to be inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor
The two expressed their gratitude for the honor.
During his college career, Colt McCoy started 53 times for the Texas football team.
The first of these appearances came on September 2, 2006. Replacing Vince Young, McCoy completed 12 of his 19 passes in a 56-7 victory over North Texas. He threw for 178 yards and three touchdowns and also ran for a touchdown.
McCoy, who holds most of Texas’ major passing records and is one of six players whose jerseys have been retired by the football program, was officially inducted into the Texas Athletics Hall of Honor on Friday. During a brief conversation with local reporters, McCoy was asked what he remembers about that first start.
GOLDEN: The Texas-ULM football game gets the necessary spice before Arch Manning’s first start
McCoy recalled: “I remember coach (Mack) Brown telling me that I was going to start, but that (Jevan Snead and I) were both going to play. I thought that’s fair, I think, I think I should be the starter.”
“I went out there and started and played the whole game, or at least most of it. … I remember thinking, OK, I have about two more series to make sure this happens. I guess the rest is history.”
Since McCoy left Texas after the 2009 season, 11 quarterbacks have made their first start for the Longhorns. A 12th will do so Saturday night when Arch Manning fills in for the injured Quinn Ewers against visiting ULM. Manning, a redshirt freshman and former five-star recruit, threw for five touchdowns after Ewers strained his oblique muscle in the second quarter of last week’s win over UTSA.
Does one of the best quarterbacks in school history have any advice for Manning before his first start?
“I would just tell him, ‘You’ll remember this for the rest of your life,'” McCoy said. “It’s your first time competing in the stadium for UT. I would just go out there and take a picture of all the fans screaming and yelling and enjoying that, and then just buckle up and go play. I have to go out there and have fun, that’s what I’ve always tried to do.”
ANOTHER HOH APPLICANT: After 9 NFL seasons, Alex Okafor makes room in the Texas Longhorns media landscape
Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes this work possible. Get access to all our best content with this great offer.
