The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
McCoy wins 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award
12.03.2009 | Football
Dec. 3, 2009
Senior QB Colt McCoy has been named the winner of the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, honoring the nation's top senior quarterback, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation has announced.
"Wow, what a great honor it is to receive an award named after Johnny Unitas, one of the greatest football players ever," McCoy said. "I had a chance to talk to John, Jr. and Raymond Berry last night when they told me I was this year's winner and I was pretty speechless.
"With all of the great quarterbacks around the country it's definitely humbling to be picked as the winner of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. But, like I told them last night, this is an honor I can't wait to share with my teammates and coaches. Without them I wouldn't be able to accomplish anything, so this is an award that reflects the success we've had as a team and is a tribute to all of them."
McCoy becomes the first Longhorn to win the award, which dates back to 1987. A ceremony will be held in Baltimore on Friday, Dec. 11, from 5:30-9 p.m. at the Tremont Grand Plaza. Presenters at the awards ceremony will include NFL Hall of Famers Bart Starr and Raymond Berry, along with many other former Baltimore Colts teammates of Johnny Unitas.
"We're so happy for Colt and this team that the Johnny Unitas Gold Arm Award has selected him this year's winner," head coach Mack Brown said. "He certainly has had another great year and is deserving of all of the recognition he receives. When you look at the 44 career wins and all of his records, he has been one of the greatest to ever play at Texas and in college football, but he's also a kid that is graduating this semester and is a national scholar-athlete who constantly is giving back in the community. With all of his success on the field, you really have to appreciate what a special person he is off of it to."
With the win over Texas A&M on Thursday, McCoy extended his NCAA all-time wins record to 44, two better than David Greene of Georgia. He is also the first QB in major college football history to lead a team to four 10-win seasons.
McCoy has guided the Longhorns to a 12-0 record in the regular season for the first time in school history. In combination with his 12-1 mark last year, he becomes the first Texas starting QB to register consecutive 12-victory seasons.
"Like Johnny Unitas, Colt McCoy has been a leader on the playing field and off, carrying the ideals of football forward into his relations with his community and his fellow man," said John Unitas, Jr., President of the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation, Inc.
"The winner of the Golden Arm Award is recognized not only for his athletic accomplishments, but also for his character, citizenship, scholastic achievement, and leadership qualities," Unitas said. "With respect to each of these measures, Colt McCoy is truly outstanding and a most worthy recipient of this prestigious award."
McCoy already holds 46 school records including 16 career, 12 single-season, five single-game, six freshman and seven miscellaneous marks. During his 51-game career (44-7), McCoy has completed 1,135-of-1,607 passes (70.6%) for 13,060 yards and 112 TDs (42 INTs) for a passer rating of 156.7. His 13,060 yards are sixth on the NCAA all-time list, his 112 TD passes are seventh and his 70.6 career completion percentage would better the NCAA record of 70.4 percent, which is held by Colt Brennan (Hawaii).
McCoy's 1,135 completions, 1,607 attempts, 70.6 completion percentage, 13,060 yards, 112 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 1,591 yards and 19 TDs on 429 carries (3.7 ypc) and has rushed and passed for a TD in the same game 14 times during his career. In combining his passing (112) and rushing (19) TDs, McCoy ranks sixth on the NCAA list and first on UT's TD responsible for list with 131. He is UT's all-time leader in total offense and ranks sixth on the NCAA all-time list, having produced 14,651 yards (13,060p/1,591r) on 2,036 plays (7.2 ypp).
This season, McCoy is a finalist for the Walter Camp Football Foundation Player of the Year Award, Maxwell Award (nation's top player), Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top QB), Manning Award (nation's top QB) and William V. Campbell Trophy (college football's top scholar-athlete), and has been named the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year. In 2009, he has gone 310-of-432 (71.8%) for 3,328 yards and 27 TDs for a 152.9 passer rating, while rushing for another 368 yards and two TDs. His 71.8 completion percentage leads the nation, his 152.9 pass efficiency rating ranks 11th, his 277.3 passing yards per game are 11th and his 308.0 total yards per game rank sixth. McCoy is averaging 26.6 yards per TD pass on his 27 scoring throws.
A National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete and three-time first-team Academic All-Big 12 selection, McCoy is on pace to graduate in December with a degree in sports management. He also is one of UT's most active community service participants and has been selected to the Allstate AFCA and Big 12 Good Works teams. McCoy has spent his last two spring breaks traveling to Peru to perform mission work, and he regularly serves as a featured speaker representing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.
Unitas played for the Baltimore Colts from 1956-1972. When he retired in 1973 after one year with San Diego, he left behind him records for: most pass attempts (5,186); most completions (2,830); most total yards (40,239); most touchdowns (290); most 300-yard games (26); and most consecutive games throwing touchdown passes (47). He also led the Colts to one Super Bowl Crown, three NFL championships, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1979.
In addition to honoring a player with the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Educational Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to underprivileged and deserving scholar-athletes from local area high schools in both Maryland and Kentucky.
