By Peter Sblendorio

Sports Editor

Coppell senior running back Cam McDaniel has earned just about every individual accolade that a football player could.

In his three year career on varsity, McDaniel has been a first team all district selection, the leading rusher and scorer for the Cowboys in the 2009 and 2010 seasons and the feature playmaker on a team that advanced to the third round of the Class 5A playoffs a year ago.

Now in his senior year, McDaniel is putting all personal statistics aside and is focusing on obtaining the ultimate team goal of winning a Class 5A state championship.

“The big picture is that we have what it takes to win it all [in 2010],” McDaniel said. “We are ranked third in the DFW area, which means we are probably third in the state. We have the potential [to win it all].”

For the Cowboys to tap that potential, the success of McDaniel will be essential. Since taking over as Coppell’s every down running back in 2009, his junior season, McDaniel has been the Cowboy’s most indispensible player.

In that season, McDaniel emerged as one of Metroplex‘s most dangerous players and as Coppell’s leader on the field. His 1210 rushing yards were the most for a Coppell running back since 2004, when current Florida Gators running back Emmanuel Moody tallied 1319 yards. His 27 total touchdowns scored were 19 more than any other Cowboy, and his 57 receptions were just one short of the team lead.

And while those eye-popping numbers seem nearly impossible to improve on, McDaniel is on pace to shatter those statistics in 2010. Through six games, the star running back has ran for 827 yards at a 6.0 yard per carry clip and scored a team leading 14 touchdowns overall. More importantly, his consistent efforts have led the Cowboys to a District 7-5A best 6-0 record on the season.

Coppell coach Joe McBride has been pleased with the productivity, and he can see that his star back is playing his heart out for a chance at a state title in his senior season.

“His performance is indicative of the effort he puts in,” McBride said. “He is a big part of our hopes for a deep playoff run and possibly a state championship. All of his work is showing up [on the field].”

Of course, McDaniel’s high intensity and strong effort is not new to the Cowboys. He has been the type of player that fights for every yard and refuses to give up on a play since he moved from Burnet during his freshman year. The back made an immediate impact that season, leading the Coppell freshman team to an undefeated season.

McDaniel’s teammates have the utmost respect for the star back due to the way he carries himself on and off of the field. Over the years, he has become an unquestioned leader for the Cowboys.

“He has been a great leader for all of us [the past four years],” senior wide receiver Tyler Landis said. “He’s also been a good spiritual influence [in the Christian religion for] the team.”

McDaniel’s spirituality in Christianity is perhaps the thing he is most passionate about. He has lived his life with a humble demeanor, crediting his faith as the biggest reason for all of his achievements and opportunities. This includes his chance to play for the Cowboys, as he believes that it was the Lord’s doing that he moved to Coppell.

“My dad got a coaching job [with Coppell], and it was something that we prayed a lot about,” McDaniel said. “We had our dream house in Burnet, and anybody that has seen it asks us why we would move. But it felt like the Lord was leading us up here for a reason.”

McDaniel’s selfless approach has translated well to the football field, as he is willing to do whatever it takes to win, even if that means sharing the spotlight. This was evident in the Cowboys win over Denton Guyer. Although McDaniel rushed for a season low 63 yards, he made himself valuable in the passing game, blocking for senior quarterback Joe Minden and making himself active in the receiving game, catching seven balls for 54 yards.

That said, McDaniel has typically contributed his most productive performances during the Cowboys biggest games.  He rushed for 143 yards and scored four touchdowns in Coppell’s first round playoff game against Keller a year ago, and he exploded for 218 yards and two touchdowns in Coppell’s season opening win against a tough Mesquite Horn defense in 2010.

This clutch play has been prevalent all season long for Coppell, as the running back has scored at least once (and often more) in each of the team’s six wins thus far.

McDaniel has kept the explanation for his accomplishments simple, crediting his hard work and passion for the sport as the biggest reasons for success.

“Football is something that I have always loved,” McDaniel said. “Anything that you invest time in, you’ll be great at. For example, if you invest a lot of time in school, you will be a great student. I’ve invested a lot of time into this sport. I’m a competitor, and I’ve always trained to be the best that I can be.”

McDaniel has been the Cowboy’s most consistent player in 2010, and he has elevated his play to average 179.2 yards from scrimmage per game. This has led a number of division one colleges to show interest in McDaniel, with Minnesota and Stanford being among the most recognizable universities.

For now, though, the Cowboy’s running back is focused on bringing a state title to Coppell in what is his last chance to do so. The Cowboys are poised to make noise come playoff time, and they know that their opportunity for success could very well start and end with McDaniel.