I had the privilege of seeing Colt McCoy and Case Keenum play when they were quarterbacks in high school, torching whatever defense they happened
to be playing they night. Now that the two former area standouts are in college, not much has changed – except they’re playing in bigger cities on national television, and I’m watching them from my couch. McCoy and Keenum will make a return to West Texas on Thursday as the guest speakers for the Concho Valley Fellowship of Christian Athletes banquet, an event that will take place at San Angelo’s McNease Convention Center. In terms of sheer starpower with area connections, it’s hard to beat the combination of McCoy and Keenum. McCoy, who played high school ball about 75 miles up the road for Jim Ned High School in Tuscola, was the runner-up for the Heisman Trophy last season at the University of Texas, setting the NCAA single-season record with a 76.7 percent completion rate. Keenum, who played just a little farther up the road at Abilene Wylie, led the nation last season with 403.2 yards of total offense per game while leading the University of Houston to its first bowl win since 1980. That means two of the better quarterbacks in the country will be in the same place Thursday night in San Angelo, and it’s all to promote a cause that means a lot to them.
“I’ve grown up going to FCA,” said McCoy in a telephone interview from a charity golf event in Abilene. “It played a big part in my high school career and also in college. We have a strong FCA in college, and I try to be involved with it as much as I can.”