Texas QB McCoy finding multiple targets

Nov 22, 2009 - 8:29 PM By JIM VERTUNO AP Sports Writer

AUSTIN, Texas(AP) -- James Kirkendoll was an early season flash at receiver for Texas. By midseason he seemed to be missing in action.

With the No. 3 Longhorns now in their stretch run to a Big 12 championship, he has re-emerged as a late-season favorite for quarterback Colt McCoy.

And the more targets for McCoy, the winningest quarterback in NCAA history, the more headaches for opposing defense.

McCoy-to-Jordan Shipley is still arguably the best pass-catch combo in the country, but Kirkendoll has 19 catches with three touchdowns in the last three games.

He had eight catches for 86 yards and two scores against Kansas on Saturday night when Texas (11-0, 7-0) clinched the Big 12 South with a 51-20 win. He caught McCoy's first and last TD passes of the night.

Texas expected many more games like that from Kirkendoll after he caught seven passes for 102 yards and a touchdown in the second game against Wyoming.

Then it was like he just wasn't there. Kirkendoll played, but caught just 16 passes over the next six games and all but disappeared as a big-play threat.

He got back in the mix three weeks ago with a third-quarter touchdown catch that opened up a 35-3 win over Central Florida.

"I thought James played great" against Kansas, said McCoy, who passed for 396 yards and four touchdowns to get career win No. 43 as a starter.

McCoy's first pass to Kirkendoll was a 41-yard TD in the first quarter. Kirkendoll beat two defenders on the sideline for an easy pitch-and-catch.

McCoy also threw a 38-yard touchdown to Shipley and hit Malcolm Williams for a 68-yard score in the third. The last touchdown came on a 12-yarder to Kirkendoll who slipped into the corner of the end zone.

"We're definitely starting to hit on all cylinders. This was our best performance so far," Kirkendoll said.

His re-connection with McCoy comes at the perfect time.

Texas has a Thanksgiving night game at Texas A&M before the Longhorns play Nebraska in the Big 12 championship on Dec. 5. The Aggies rank among the worst in the country in pass defense.

McCoy likes to have the options.

Shipley, Williams and Kirkendoll all have shown they can pick up first downs with short possession passes or stretch the field with their speed for big-strike touchdowns. Williams had six catches for 103 yards against Kansas.

"We have so much talent. Anybody can go out and have a 100-yard game. Sometimes Colt sees certain people," Williams said.

"It is big for us. They can't just key in on Jordan," McCoy said. "When those guys are playing at that level, and they are getting protection, we are hard to stop."

Shipley remains McCoy's favorite target and had 10 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown against Kansas. He now has 91 catches for a school record 1,204 yards this season. He and McCoy have connected for 28 touchdowns over their careers.

"They are probably one of the best combinations in college football history," Kirkendoll said.