Longhorns' McCoy given the OK to play Saturday against Sooners

By John Helsley
Published: October 2, 2007

AUSTIN, TexasTexas coach Mack Brown wasn't about to answer this one for Colt McCoy.
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Brown, uneasy discussing the medical issues surrounding his quarterback, kept deferring to McCoy to address his status for Saturday's game against Oklahoma.

McCoy, who suffered symptoms of a mild concussion in a 41-21 loss to Kansas State, deferred to status quo: He'll be ready to go in the 102nd edition of the Red River Rivalry.

"I'm feeling better,” McCoy said at Texas' press conference Monday. "I feel fine now.

"They've run some tests. I'm fine.”

McCoy is coming off the worst game of his career, statistically and physically.

He was intercepted a career-high four times by Kansas State. On one interception, McCoy was slammed to the turf by Wildcats defensive end Clayton Cox. McCoy's head snapped to the turf.

The sophomore quarterback got up slowly and was wobbly, needing help from trainers to walk to the sideline. He was then taken to the locker room for observation with about two minutes to play in the half.

After the game, Brown said the offensive coaches had no contact with McCoy during halftime and were prepared to play without him in the second half, before doctors cleared his return just before the third quarter started.

"We came back out on the field, were getting ready to receive the kickoff and (the doctors) came up and said, ‘He can play.'

"I said, ‘Great.' ”

McCoy, under constant pressure from the Wildcats, played most of the second half. But when he turned ill on the sideline late, vomiting and complaining of dizziness, doctors pulled him from the game for good.

"I don't really know what happened,” McCoy said. "Obviously, something had to happen; must have gotten hit pretty hard.”

Concussions are under greater scrutiny, especially in the NFL, where players are having problems traced to head trauma later in life.

But McCoy said he's not concerned about any potential lingering affects, based on the news from team doctors.

"They ran some tests on me,” he said. "Everything came out fine, like it should. It matched up with the results from before the season started.

"I'm not concerned about that.”

Of a different concern is McCoy's mounting interception rate. The four he tossed Saturday raised his season total to nine. He threw seven all of last season.

Texas offensive tackle Tony Hills, one of just two veteran starters on an inexperienced line, said protection problems are at least partly to blame.

"That's pretty much the main thing,” Hills said. "As an offensive unit, we need to do a better job of protecting him.

"When he's had time to sit back there, and we've given him time, he's scored touchdowns. That shows you what kind of player he is.”

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Comments

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K-State hammered that kid on an every play basis. If we get the kind of play out of our D that we should, McCoy will be out before the half.
Chris, Hesston - Oct 2, 2007 11:11 AM
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It's funny how everytime they start getting their butts kicked, he somehow ends up getting hurt, isn't it?
Brian, Okemah - Oct 2, 2007 9:19 AM
Report: Offensive language