Cam’Ron McCoy is getting his footing during Texas Southern’s spring drills, growing more comfortable and excited about a place he never imagined he would be.
For those who’ve followed SWAC football over the past couple of seasons, you might be more familiar with McCoy than you realize. You may have seen the dual-threat quarterback in action.
A couple of years ago, he played quarterback in spots for the Jackson State Tigers. And he got in some snaps, even starting a game, for the Southern Jaguars last season. Now McCoy is suiting up for the Tigers with his best chance of becoming a full-time starter.
If you are surprised McCoy is wearing the maroon and white, you aren’t the only one.
“It’s not where I thought I would end up,” McCoy said recently to the Defender. “If I took it back to high school and told myself that I would end up here, I wouldn’t believe myself.
“But I’m glad. Everything is a learning lesson, and I’m glad to be in the position I am right now.”
That position is potentially filling a gaping hole in the Tigers quarterback room after last season’s starter, KJ Cooper, and primary backup Jordan Davis both left this program this offseason via the transfer portal.
“It’s a great quarterbacks (room). Anywhere I’ve ever been, the best teams I’ve ever played on, it’s a competition every day in the quarterback room. I feel like these guys are pushing me to be the best I can be, and that’s all I can ask for.”
Cam’Ron McCoy
Third-year TSU coach Cris Dishman and his staff this offseason added bodies to the QB room, including junior college transfer Jeremiah Harrell and Nelson Peterson, the younger brother of former NFL star Adrian Peterson, from Forney High School. While Dishman and quarterbacks coach Harold Smith are quick to make the point that the quarterback competition is still wide open, there is no denying that McCoy should have the leg up based on sheer experience in the league alone.
In 23 college games that span stops at Eastern Michigan, Jackson State, and Southern, McCoy has completed 81 of 174 passes for 1,081 yards, nine touchdowns, and six interceptions, and a 108.9 passer efficiency rating. The bulk of his playing experience, however, has come at JSU and Southern, where he spent a year at each school.
“It gives me a good edge,” McCoy said. “I told Coach Dishman a couple of weeks ago that I’ve beat every team in the SWAC and I’ve also lost to every team in the SWAC.
“Knowing that, I just think I know everybody’s strengths and weaknesses now, a lot of the things the defenses are going to bring to me, and give knowledge to our defense about the things that the offenses are going to give. Just spreading knowledge all over.”
McCoy, a promising duo-sport athlete out of St. Louis, had his best college season statistically last season with SWAC West foe Southern. The speedy 6-foot-1 quarterback completed 51 of 108 passes for 698 yards, five touchdowns, and two interceptions in the 10 games played, including one start.
But his production didn’t result in wins with the Jaguars finishing the season 2-10, 1-7 SWAC, while head coach Terrence Graves was fired during the season after a 1-6 campaign. NFL Hall of Famer Marshall Faulk has since taken over the program.
The whole experience of last season didn’t sit right with McCoy, who jumped into the portal on Jan. 12 and landed in the division with the Tigers.
“I just want to finish it out,” McCoy said when asked why he decided to transfer to his third SWAC school. “Last year left a bad taste in my mouth at Southern, so I didn’t want to just leave the conference like that.”
So far this spring, the coaching staff has been impressed by how McCoy has gone about his business, tackling the playbook, earning his teammates’ respect, and taking on a leadership role.
“Cam has been looking really sharp,” said Dishman, whose team wraps up spring practices on April 11 with the annual Spring Game at Durley Stadium at 1 p.m. “We’re not naming anyone right now. Everyone thinks Cam is going to be our guy. But he has (some) practices to go to prove he is the guy.”
Smith, who has taken over as the sole quarterbacks coach this offseason, has been equally impressed.
“I think Cam is doing an awesome job,” Smith said. “He’s got here from Day 1; he’s got the playbook in his hands. He’s a student of the game, he’s a professional, he’s a pro. He is out here every day. He is the first one out here, the last one to leave.
“I’m excited about what we are getting out of him.”
McCoy is equally excited about this new opportunity at TSU, his new teammates, and the possibilities of this upcoming season.
“It’s been a good transition,” said McCoy, who also played baseball at Eastern Michigan. “Everybody has been real welcoming to me. They haven’t looked at me like an outsider or anything like that.
“So the transition has been very good, fluid, and easy for me.”
And finally, McCoy feels he has landed in a program that will help him grow and pursue his ambitions beyond college football.
“We haven’t named any starters, second, third, or fourth. Guys are out here competing every day and trying to get better each and every day. They are pushing each other. We are a collective, we’re one. We support each other. We try to coach each other up to the best of our abilities, and we just push them each and every day to be better today than
arold Smith, TSU quarterbacks coach
they were yesterday.”
“It’s an amazing experience being here,” McCoy said. “I’m learning a lot, getting me prepared for the next level.
“That’s a big thing with my decision, a team that can get me prepared for the next level and not just being stagnant or being the best in college. I want to be the best for the next level. Our coaches have all coached or played at the highest level, so they are able to help me mentally and physically to get ready for the next level with terminology and things of that sort.”
But there is still the small matter of winning the job. McCoy understands that Dishman and Smith won’t just hand him the job. He will have to earn it.
“Take it one day at a time, one play at a time. I can’t look to the future,” McCoy said. “I want them to play the best player to help the team. I wouldn’t want them to just throw me out there, and I’m not the best thing for the team.
“Hopefully, the team has confidence in me to be the starter. That’s all I can hope for.”
