Dallas – Most of the nation's eyes will be on Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel when he leads Texas A&M against the University of Oklahoma in the 2013 AT&T Cotton Bowl on January 4. University of Mary fans, though, will be concentrating more on the man calling plays for “Johnny Football” and the potent Aggie attack.
Former Marauders football player and U-Mary alumni Clarence McKinney will call the plays for the 9
th ranked Aggies against the 11
th ranked Sooners. A wide receiver and quarterback for the Marauders from 1991-93, the Houston, TX, native graduated from U-Mary in 1994 with a degree in Elementary Education.
In his first season at College Station, TX, McKinney serves as the Aggies running back coach and recruiting coordinator. He was presented the opportunity to serve as play-caller at the Cotton Bowl when Kliff Kingsbury resigned his offensive coordinator post to take the head coaching job at Texas Tech.
The Aggies, 10-2 this season, lead the SEC in rushing with 235.1 yards per game and are third in the nation with 5.62 yards per carry. Texas A&M is the only school in the nation to rank in the top 15 in total offense (3
rd), scoring (3
rd), rushing offense (13
th) and passing offense (14
th).
McKinney joined the Aggies program when Kevin Sumlin was named head coach at Texas A&M before the 2012 season. Sumlin, the 2012 SEC Coach of the Year, originally hired McKinney to coach running backs at the University of Houston in 2008 before adding recruiting coordinator duties in 2010. In the duo's four seasons at Houston the Cougars compiled a mark of 36-17 and played in three bowl games. Twice UH posted double digit win totals, including a school record 13 in 2011.
Prior to joining Houston, McKinney served as head football coach at his alma mater, Jack Yates High School, compiling a winning record of 30-8 in three seasons. While at Yates he was honored as a 2006 Gordon Wood 4A Coach of the Year Finalist and a 2007 Texans Coach of the Year Finalist.
McKinney previously served as an assistant football coach at North Shore High School (2003-05) and Booker T. Washington High School (1997-2003) where he was named the 2003 Houston Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year.
McKinney and his wife, Jakmica, have three children; Britney, Atallah and Quran.
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