After stellar season Texas counting on QB McCoy

	Texas redshirt freshman QB Colt McCoy finished off a surprisingly successful freshman season by hooking Iowa in the Alamo Bowl. AP
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AUSTIN, Texas -- One of the rites of summer for most college quarterbacks and receivers -- 7-on-7 passing drills -- arrived early at Texas this year. In late January, actually. Just a month removed from the end of last season and only a few weeks away (at the time) from the impending drudgery of spring practices, why would the 'Horns' players eschew valuable nap time several days a week to head over to Royal-Memorial Stadium and essentially play catch with each other?

"Just anxious and excited to get out there," said senior receiver Limas Sweed. "Because we know we have a chance to do something special as an offense."

A year ago, the only anxiety being generated by Texas' offense was panic. Coming off a national championship season, the 'Horns opened 2006 spring practices with a pair of untested freshman quarterbacks vying to replace departed legend Vince Young.

On Feb. 23, however, Texas began spring workouts for '07 led by a notably vocal and bulked-up veteran quarterback fresh off a 308-yard bowl game and NCAA freshman-record 29-touchdown season. Following a remarkable debut season in which he completed 68.2 percent of his passes for 2,570 yards and led the 'Horns' to their sixth straight 10-win season, Colt McCoy is suddenly all grown up -- literally.

I was in Austin last August for Texas' preseason media day and vividly remember just how lanky and baby-faced the 'Horns' new starting quarterback looked. You can imagine my surprise, then, when I walked into Texas' players lounge last Thursday and saw a guy sitting on the couch who, just six months later, suddenly looks and acts like he's magically aged several years.

Having immersed himself in the weight room since last season, the 6-foot-3 McCoy, listed at 195 pounds last fall (up from 175 as a high-school senior) is now up to 208, and it shows. "His face still looks like he's 19," said Texas offensive coordinator Greg Davis, "but his body is starting to look like a real man."

Those who have watched Texas' spring workouts so far, however, say the biggest change in McCoy isn't physical. With the departure of a large, senior class synonymous with that '05 championship team, McCoy has emerged as the 'Horns' unquestioned on-field leader. "He's gotten more aggressive in his conversations," said Texas coach Mack Brown. "They know he's 'the guy.' They trust him."

McCoy earned his role as "the guy" through an eventful first season of bumps, bruises and clutch performances. After enduring an unpleasant initiation in a 24-7 loss to No. 1 Ohio State the second week of last season, McCoy led the 'Horns to eight consecutive wins while Davis and the coaches progressively put more and more responsibility on his shoulders. Outsiders assumed Texas would primarily be a running team last year with the presence of tailbacks Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young and a veteran offensive line, but as defenses ganged up on the run, McCoy proved to be deadly accurate and surprisingly reliable with his downfield progressions.

"Going back to recruiting, we thought we were sitting on a pretty good secret," said Davis. "He is extremely poised and accurate. The only question was whether he'd be able to make the transition."