Posted on Sun, Oct. 12, 2008

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Feisty, ornery Colt McCoy proved he can win these big games

DALLAS — Shocking was how everybody described Saturday’s developments at the Cotton Bowl.

And frankly, watching No. 5 Texas come back, again and again, before finally disposing of No. 1 Oklahoma in a 45-35 victory was a little stunning. What it wasn’t was the most stunning development of the day, considering:

1. Mack Brown out-Stooped Bob Stoops, including a fiery Tomahawk Chop-looking celebration after Texas stopped a fake punt and by calling a gutsier game.

2. The Cotton Bowl actually looks pretty good, and ...

3. It turns out Longhorns offensive coordinator Greg Davis is not an idiot after all. He also hated his conservative game plans of Red River Rivalries past. I know, right? Who knew he agreed with all of his angry Longhorns detractors?

"Colt’s in a different place," Davis said, by way of explanation for why he went Air Greg on Oklahoma.

And Texas QB Colt McCoy certainly has the feel of a guy who is nothing like he was a year ago. He looks bigger and stronger, for starters, like a real football player, not a kid. His face still screams "card me" at R-rated movies, though. His play also has evolved, patient and assured. He plays confidently, as if he knows that this is his team and it’s in good hands.

Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford entered Saturday’s game with the Heisman hype and status as The Best QB In The Big 12. And he actually had himself one heck of a game, passing for 387 yards and five touchdowns. Former Cowboys GM Gil Brandt has been watching football for a long, long time and noted, in his memory, he had never seen two college QBs playing at this level in any game.

Colt was just a little better and, by being so, has to surpassed Bradford as the Heisman front-runner alongside Mizzou’s Chase Daniel, as well as putting the national championship on the table as a real possibility.

So does Colt feel different?

"Do I?" he asked. "I have to feel different, being a leader on this team on offense. We’re down, three-and-out, three-and-out, they look to somebody. They’re looking at me."

What they found staring back at them a year ago was a kid who was getting beat up physically and a little mentally. He became frustrated at times, trying to do too much, hanging in too long in an attempt to do big. And questions followed, dogging him this off-season.

Did Mack choose the right QB?

Was this kid special?

Can they win with him?

A weaker kid crumbles under this pressure. Not Colt. And you almost admire him more for being knocked down and getting back up, like a QB throwing for a game-winning touchdown after a day loaded with sacks and interceptions. He has proven himself to be much tougher than people thought and thereby a much more formidable opponent.

"Nobody has ever questioned Colt in our building," Mack said. "He obviously has gotten better and better and better. We always felt like he could be really good."

What he showed Saturday was special potential. Dare I say, Vince potential?

He had help, of course, from his BFF Jordan Shipley, who hauled in everything in his vicinity as well as chipping in a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. And this Longhorns defense also looks to be as-good-as-advertised under Will Muschamp, who looks a lot like a younger Mike Leach. And certainly Davis helped by not using his "scared game plan" that he usually brings to Dallas with him.

Colt was the difference, though.

He played to the level of the game with two plays in particular defining his day. His 2-yard touchdown pass to Shipley. And a 10-yard dump down to Chris Ogbonnaya.

Both demonstrated how far he has come in a year. On the touchdown, he waited and waited, staying still, waiting for Shipley to get open and then fired a perfect strike. And his little dunk to Ogbonnaya almost impressed more because he took what the Sooners gave him to convert a crucial fourth-quarter third down.

Afterward, in typical magnanimous fashion, Mack explained what this Longhorns team should be known for, if 2005 was Vince.

"We should be known for heart and character and toughness and playing together as a team," he said. "Everybody has questioned this team from Day 1, including me. I’ve sat around and said, 'I don’t know how good we are.’ "

He easily could have been describing Colt. And he kind of was because teams usually take on the personality of their quarterback. And Colt has developed into a feisty, ornery, leader.

A week ago, standing on the sideline in Boulder after an ish-looking victory against Colorado, he turned to Mack and ...

"He said, 'I didn’t play very well tonight, but next week is my week,’ " Mack recounted.

So consider him the only one not stunned by Saturday’s developments at the Cotton Bowl.