Texas senior QB Colt McCoy has been named a finalist for the 2009 Maxwell Award, honoring the collegiate player of the year, the Maxwell Football Club has announced.
McCoy, who was also a finalist in 2008, will attempt to become Texas’ fourth winner of the Maxwell Award, following QB Vince Young in 2005, RB Ricky Williams in 1998 and LB Tommy Nobis in 1965.
McCoy became the all-time winningest quarterback in NCAA history when he won his 43rd game against Kansas on Saturday. In posting a 43-7 record, McCoy bettered David Greene’s (Georgia) mark of 42 victories.
With a victory over Baylor a week earlier, McCoy became the first QB in major college football history to lead a team to four 10-win seasons. He is also just the second Longhorn, joining Vince Young, to lead his team to consecutive 11-win seasons.
McCoy already holds 45 school records including 15 career, 12 single-season, five single-game, six freshman and seven miscellaneous marks. During his 50-game career, McCoy has completed 1,111-of-1,567 passes (70.9%) for 12,756 yards and 108 TDs (42 INTs) for a passer rating of 156.7. His 12,756 yards are seventh on the NCAA all-time list, his 108 TD passes are seventh and his 70.9 career completion percentage would better the NCAA record of 70.4%, which is held by Colt Brennan (Hawaii).
McCoy’s 1,111 completions, 1,567 attempts, 70.9 completion percentage, 12,756 yards, 108 TDs and 156.7 passer rating rank first on UT’s all-time list and he is the first Longhorn to pass for more than 10,000 yards. He is one of just five QBs in NCAA history to pass for at least 2,500 yards in four seasons and he holds four of UT’s top eight single-season marks for passing yardage
In addition, McCoy has rushed for 1,416 yards and 18 TDs on 411 carries (3.4 ypc) and has rushed and passed for a TD in the same game 13 times during his career. In combining his passing (108) and rushing (18) TDs, McCoy ranks sixth on the NCAA list and first on UT’s TD responsible for list with 126.
Also already a finalist for the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award, Davey O’Brien Award (nation’s top QB), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (nation’s top QB), and William V. Campbell Trophy (college football’s top scholar-athlete), McCoy has gone 286-of-392 (73.0%) for 3,024 yards and 23 TDs for a 152.5 passer rating, while rushing for another 193 yards and a TD this season. His 73.0 completion percentage leads the nation. McCoy’s 152.5 pass efficiency rating ranks 10th nationally, his 274.9 passing yards per game are 10th and his 292.5 total yards per game rank 12th. Over the last five games, Colt McCoy has completed 130-of-169 passes (76.9%) for 1,487 yards and 12 TDs (two INTs) for a 175.8 pass efficiency rating.
Texas senior WR Jordan Shipley has been named a finalist for the 2009 Biletnikoff Award, honoring the nation’s top wide receiver, the Tallahassee Quarterback Club has announced.
Shipley is the first Longhorn to be named a finalist for the award, which Quan Cosby was a semifinalist for last season.
Also a finalist for the Wuerffel Trophy, Shipley has caught 91 passes for 1,204 yards (13.2 ypc) and nine TDs this season. The 91 receptions rank third on UT’s single-season list, the 1,204 yards are a single-season record and the nine TDs are tied for fourth. His 8.3 receptions per game rank fifth nationally and his 109.5 receiving yards per game are sixth. He has six 100-yard receiving games this season (t-No. 2 on UT’s single-season list), which is double the amount he had coming into the season, and he’s caught at least seven passes in eight of UT’s 11 games, including five with at least 10 catches.
Shipley is one of just two players nationally to post five double-digit catch games and six 100-yard receiving games. In addition to his receiving skills, Shipley has returned 23 punts for 306 yards and two TDs. His 13.3 ypr average ranks 15th nationally (first Big 12) and his 142.8 all-purpose yards per game rank 30th (third Big 12). Shipley has posted at least 100 all-purpose yards in eight of 11 games this season.
Over the last five games, Jordan Shipley has posted 40 catches for 599 yards (15.0 ypc) and six TDs. He is averaging eight catches and 119.8 yards per game over that stretch. Of the 40 catches, 25 have gone for first downs (62.5%).
During his 50-game career (32 starts), Shipley has recorded 223 receptions (No. 2 on UT’s all-time list) for 2,910 yards (No. 3 on UT’s all-time list) and 29 TDs (No. 2 on UT’s all-time list). He is the only player in UT history to record multiple seasons with 80 or more receptions and one of just two receivers to notch multiple 1,000-yard seasons with Roy Williams being the other.
He has tallied eight games with at least 10 catches and nine 100-yard receiving games (t-No. 2 on UT’s all-time list) during his career and has produced five games with at least 11 receptions (there are only 10 on UT record). Shipley has caught a TD pass in 18 of his last 27 games and scored TDs in eight of 11 games this season with nine receiving TDs and two punt return TDs.
With three punt return TDs and a kickoff return for a TD (96 yards vs. Oklahoma, 2008) during his career, Shipley holds the UT record for return TDs with four and is just the fourth Longhorn to return a kickoff and a punt for a TD during a career. His three career punt return TDs are tied for first on UT’s all-time list with Aaron Ross (2003-06) and Jim Moore (1971-73). Shipley averages 12.8 yards per punt return (29-for-370) and 25.4 yards per kickoff return (17-for-432) during his career. He also serves as UT’s holder.
Shipley is one of the team’s most active and dedicated members to community service both with team activities and individually. Each Friday before home games, the Longhorns visit the Dell Children’s Medical Center, and Shipley is a constant participant, however he returns on his own for more personal visits. He also is very active in speaking before church, school and other community groups all over the state of Texas.
Having earned his undergraduate degree in kinesiology in December 2008, Shipley is currently enrolled in graduate school in the same area and holds a 3.44 GPA. He is a four-time member of UT's Athletics Director's honor roll and earned the Provost Award for a 4.0 GPA in the fall 2008 semester.
The winner of the 2009 Biletnikoff Award will be announced from the three finalists, which also include Notre Dame’s Golden Tate and Bowling Green’s Freddie Barnes, on Dec. 10 on the Home Depot ESPNU College Football Awards Show and the award will be presented on Feb. 13, 2010, in Tallahassee, Fla.
-- Texas sophomore S Earl Thomas has been selected as a finalist for the 2009 Thorpe Award, honoring the nation’s top defensive back, the Jim Thorpe Association has announced.
Thomas will attempt to become Texas’ third winner of the award in the last five years, following S Michael Huff in 2005 and CB Aaron Ross in 2006.
Thomas has posted 57 tackles (37 solo), seven INTs, 15 PBU and a forced fumble in 2009. His 22 passes defended rank first nationally and his seven INTs are tied for the third most. The seven INTs are also tied for first on UT’s single-season list, which is the oldest standing Longhorn record after first being set in 1940.
In addition, Thomas has returned two of his seven INTs for TDs (92 and 31 yards), making him one of only six players nationally to do so. The two INT returns for TDs are tied for first on UT’s single-season list. His 149 INT return yards this season rank second on UT’s single-season list and are fifth nationally. Thomas has been named Big 12 Defensive Player of the Week twice for his performances against UTEP and Oklahoma.
For his career, Thomas has started all 24 games and posted 129 tackles (88 solo), seven TFL, nine INTs, 32 PBU and five forced fumbles.
Thomas is an active member of the Longhorns’ community service program, including regularly spending time with children from the Dell Children’s Medical Center. He also is a member of the Longhorn Leaders program and has served as a mentor in his hometown of Orange, Texas.
