A University of Mary football player during the Marauders rise to national prominence,
Clarence McKinney (1991-93) has now reached the upper level of collegiate coaching, earning the post of offensive coordinator at Texas A&M and competing in the nation's toughest conference while coaching the current Heisman Trophy winner.
A native of Houston, TX, McKinney began his college football career at Montana State University, where he first met
Myron Schulz, then an assistant coach for the Bobcats. The pair would reunite at U-Mary after McKinney transferred and played three seasons (1991-93) for the Marauders at wide receiver and quarterback. While at U-Mary, the Marauders posted their first winning season (1991), won their first conference title (1992), and advanced to the NAIA playoffs for the first time (1993). McKinney earned his degree in elementary education from U-Mary in 1994.
McKinney's football coaching career started as an assistant at Booker T. Washington High School (1997-2004) before moving to North Shore High School (2004-05), both in Houston. Named the Houston Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year at Booker T. Washington in 2003, McKinney became head coach at Jack Yates High School in 2005 and posted a mark of 30-8 over three years (2005-08). At Yates he was twice a coach of the year finalist.
In 2008 McKinney made the jump from high school to NCAA Division I football when Kevin Sumlin hired him as the running backs coach for the University of Houston. A year later he also became the recruiting coordinator. In his four seasons at Houston the Cougars went 36-17, including a school record 13 wins in 2011.
When Sumlin was named head coach at Texas A&M in 2012, McKinney joined the Aggies staff as running backs coach. The Aggies finished the season 11-2, placed second in the Southeastern Conference (SEC) and were voted fifth in the year's final poll. The Aggies were the only team to defeat 2013 national champion Alabama.
McKinney was promoted to offensive coordinator prior to the 2013 Cotton Bowl. Now directing the offense featuring 2012 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel, his play calling debut was a huge success as the Aggies generated a record 633 total yards with a balanced offensive attack featuring 326 rushing yards and 307 passing yards. The Aggies averaged nearly 10 yards per play in a 41-13 rout of the Big 12 Co-Champion Oklahoma Sooners.
A long-time friend to the Marauders football program, McKinney has assisted the Marauders in recruiting student-athletes to U-Mary. He has visited with Marauders coaches during trips to Texas and made a personal visit to Bismarck, ND, last spring to talk football strategy with the U-Mary coaching staff.
The son of Jack McKinney and Mary Sweat, Clarence lives in College Station, TX, with his family. He and his wife, Jakmica, have three children, Britney, Atallah and Quran.
