K-State To Face Case McCoy On Saturday

Nov 19 2011; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Case McCoy (6) passes the ball against the Kansas State Wildcats during the third quarter at Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Kansas State beat Texas 17-13. Brendan Maloney-US PRESSWIRE

Following a rib injury to Texas quarterback David Ash during last Saturday’s game against TCU, Case McCoy has been named the starter under center in K-State’s game against the Longhorns this weekend. Ash had started every game this year, although McCoy did relieve Ash against KU earlier this season while rallying the Longhorns for two touchdowns and a win. Against TCU, Ash threw two interceptions and fumbled once before being replaced by McCoy. Ash didn’t reveal to coaches until later that he suffered the injury, although it’s unknown how much his play was effected by his injury and how much was attributable to TCU’s hard-nosed defense.

McCoy has completed two thirds of his passes this year while seeing action in seven games, though in two of them he did not attempt a pass. The junior backup is averaging almost ten yards per attempt with four touchdowns and one interception, good for a 174.9 passer rating. He was utilized in a much larger role last year while alternating starts with Ash, completing 88 of 134 passes for 1,034 yards with seven touchdowns and four interceptions for a 131.9 passer rating. While McCoy is rarely sacked, he is not a threat to run with a career high of only eight rushing yards in a single game. Assuming ends Adam Davis and Meshak Williams are able to get in the backfield, McCoy will not be a threat to scramble in the mold of his older brother Colt McCoy.

Although the older McCoy was a more talented dual-threat quarterback, he had his own problems against the Kansas State Wildcats – losing in 2006 and again in 2008. Colt left both games due to injuries, the first with a shoulder stinger and second with a concussion. Should Case McCoy suffer a similar fate on Saturday, Texas has three freshman to choose from who have never taken a snap in a college football game. Last year McCoy completed only 8/16 passes for 80 yards, one touchdown, and no interceptions in a 20-16 loss to K-State. He also had three yards on four rushes. McCoy came off the bench in that game as well, called  in to replace David Ash after Ash threw two interceptions.