Mack Brown Shares Thoughts on Colt McCoy's Retirement

Under Mack Brown, Colt McCoy was one of the best quarterbacks to ever put on a Texas Longhorns uniform.

Oct 17, 2009; Dallas, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Colt McCoy (12) and head coach Mack Brown celebrate a victory over the Oklahoma Sooners in the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl. Texas beat Oklahoma 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports / Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

The Texas Longhorns were one of the most dominant programs in the nation during the 2000s under former head coach Mack Brown, winning at least 10 games for nine seasons in a row from 2001 to 2009.

During that time, they also won a national title, two Big 12 Titles, seven bowl games, and five Big 12 South division titles, thanks in large part to the stellar quarterback play of Vince Young and Colt McCoy.

Obviously, Young was tremendously successful, leading the Longhorns to their first national title in 35 years. But outside of that national title, McCoy had nearly identical levels of success to Young and helped lead the Longhorns to a 45-8 record over four seasons.

Suffice it to say, McCoy left Austin as one of the very best ever to do it at the college level and an all-time favorite among Texas fans. As such, when McCoy finally announced his retirement from the NFL on Monday, Brown wasted no time in congratulating his former QB.

September 27, 2008; Austin, TX, USA; Texas Longhorns head coach Mack Brown (left), quarterback Colt McCoy (12) and running backs coach Major Applewhite (right) watch a replay on the jumbotron in the third quarter against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas beat Arkansas 52-10. Mandatory Credit: Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports / Brendan Maloney-USA TODAY Sports

“Colt is one of the best players I’ve had the privilege of coaching, but he’s also one of the finest people I’ve ever been around,” Brown told former Austin-American Statesman reporter Brian Davis. “He does everything with so much passion and class, and Sally and I are so fortunate that he and his family are in our lives.

“I want to congratulate him on a wonderful career and wish him nothing but the best as he moves to the announcers’ booth. It’ll be really fun hearing him call games. He’ll provide great insight, particularly in games like the Nebraska-Colorado game since he had some great memories against those two teams.”

In four seasons as the starter for the Longhorns, McCoy completed 1,157 of 1,645 passes (70.3 percent) for 13,253 yards and 112 touchdowns, with 45 interceptions in 53 games, and finished his career with a 155.0 QB rating. He also terrorized opposing defenses with his legs, rushing 447 times for 1,571 yards and 20 touchdowns.

More importantly, McCoy was a winner, guiding the Longhorns to a 45-8 record, a Big 12 title and three bowl wins, including the 2009 Fiesta Bowl thriller over Ohio State.

He was also a Heisman finalist two years in a row and left the program as the all-time winningest quarterback in the history of the program by 15 games over Young.