FORT COLLINS, Colo.— “It’s up to the coaches if they want to play me or not—I still gotta work hard at everything I do every day and work to make my craft better.”
In a time where it’s become socially acceptable to transfer at the first sign of adversity, Colorado State’s backup quarterback is taking a different approach.
Justice McCoy, a redshirt sophomore, from New Orleans, LA., has yet to see game action in his career and has had to deal with two different Power 5-transfers coming into the mix as well.
First, K.J. Carta-Samuels transferred from Washington State after nearly going to UCLA. While McCoy likely wouldn’t have competed for a starting role in 2018, Carta-Samuels’ addition sealed McCoy’s fate as the No. 3 man for the year.
Then, Patrick O’Brien left Nebraska and joined the program with multiple years of eligibility remaining. And after sitting out due to transfer rules last season, the former Husker is now competing with McCoy for the No. 2 role behind Collin Hill.
“Quarterback is a tough position. You’re not playing special teams, you’re not able to just roll in there,” head coach Mike Bobo said over the weekend.
“Since after last spring, Justice has really dedicated himself. He’s worked extremely hard—he’s out there throwing extra with receivers a ton. I’ve been really pleased with Justice.”
Bobo went on to explain that his father watches the team’s film every night and then passes on his evaluations to the fifth-year head coach. According to Bobo, his father, George, pointed out McCoy multiple times over the first few days of camp.
“He looks calm, he knows what to do, and he’s executing at a high level. That’s what you gotta do—he’s battling—which is good to see,” Bobo said.
According to McCoy, the other quarterbacks haven’t been a detriment to his progression—quite the opposite in fact. With other talented QBs in the room, McCoy has had to elevate his game, and he feels that the hard work is really starting to pay off.
“I’ve grown tremendously as a quarterback,” McCoy said. “It’s great just to have the competition.”
McCoy, who had nothing but praise for his fellow quarterbacks at CSU on Monday, seems to be buying into his coaches’ philosophies regarding the controllable aspects of life.
On Saturday, Bobo explained how McCoy has continued to try and improve himself, no matter who else has been in the conversation at QB. That ability to block outside the outside noise and grind has earned McCoy the respect of his teammates and peers.
“I think he loves it here,” Bobo said. “I think he loves Colorado State, he loves Fort Collins, (and) he loves his teammates. That says a lot about a young man.”
When asked about his love for Fort Collins and the CSU community, McCoy beamed with pride as he told BSN Rams how he has developed relationships with his teammates and coaches that he wouldn’t trade for anything.
“After football, after college and everything, I’ll have those guys for life,” McCoy said.
Along with his love for CSU, though, Bobo has been extremely pleased with McCoy’s determination and work ethic. The staff doesn’t want a player that is just going to go through the motions and be content with simply being on scholarship. So to see McCoy battle it out at all times has been a huge positive.
“You don’t judge your success by somebody else’s failures out there. You judge your success by what you’re doing on a daily basis,” Bobo said.
Heading into the season, McCoy knows his role and is comfortable no matter where he ends up on the depth chart. But don’t mistake this for complacency—the young QB still has aspirations of being the starter someday down the line. He just understands that there is value in putting the team above himself.
“If I don’t play, I can still contribute to the team somehow, like with helping the young guys,” McCoy said.
However, if McCoy does need to play, the coaches believe in his ability to run the offense.
“He was a young guy that had to mature and go through some growing pains,” Bobo said. “But I really like where he’s at right now. He’s a guy that I feel like he can go in and play.”
McCoy may not be the starter and he may not even get a chance to see the field this season. But one thing is clear—McCoy is an extremely valuable member of the locker room.
It’s rare for players to show such selflessness, especially at an ego-filled position like quarterback. So, to have someone that can capably lead the offense on the sideline, and not have to worry about him throwing tantrums, is an extremely rare commodity for the Rams.
