By Chris Reagan

Staff Writer

Coppell’s recent success in football is no secret and this success has carried over to the college level with seven Division I scholarships being given out in the past five years and one player who has practiced in the NFL.

Most Coppell students now remember running backs Cam McDaniel and Evans Okotcha, but before these two there was Emmanuel Moody. Moody is one of the most successful football players to come out of Coppell High School since graduating in 2005.

Initially, Moody committed to Texas but eventually was convinced by USC to sign with the Trojans. He enjoyed some success winning the 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year award but transferred to Florida due to the high number of running backs at USC.

After winning a national championship with the Gators in 2008, Moody went undrafted in 2011, but practiced with the Buffalo Bills as a free agent before getting cut.

“The NFL lockout did not work to my advantage,” said Moody via Facebook. “I will get another shot at the end of the year.”

Okotcha is another running back that transferred in college, eventually winding up at UT- San Antonio from Portland State with another Coppell graduate, safety Nic Johnston. Okotcha and Johnston are two of the founding members of UTSA’s football program that first started play this year.

“The fact that UTSA just got a program is really cool,” Okotcha said via Facebook. “We get a lot of hype and a lot of love. We also got the chance to make history in a bunch of different ways.”

Although they will be making history at UTSA, the fledgling program does have its disadvantages.

“The bad part is we don’t have great facilities and no traditions,” Johnston said via Facebook. “Last year we didn’t get to play games so we just practiced a lot, too.”

The Roadrunners went 4-6 in their first season.

In Coach Joe McBride’s first season one of the biggest factors to his success was quarterback Hayden Hawk. As a senior he threw for over 3,400 yards, 29 touchdowns and earned District MVP on top of leading the Cowboys to an 11-2 season.

Hawk went to the University of Nebraska-Omaha but the program was discontinued by the university in 2011, along with its wrestling program.

“I was very surprised when the team was discontinued,” Hawk said via Facebook. “Football was one of their mainstay programs and everyone was just stunned.”

Hawk transferred to University of Central Missouri where he has another shot at playing football in college.

“I’m very happy with my decision to transfer,” Hawk said. ”Although it was really hard to leave all my teammates and friends that I grew close to, I think I’m in a better situation both academically and athletically.

Last year was one of the best recruiting years in Coppell history with multiple Cowboys going to some of the top programs in the country.

Tanner Rice is now attending the Air Force Academy where after his time is done for football he will get a chance to serve in the Air Force, receiving training while he is a student.

“I chose Air Force because I saw the opportunity that it presents,” Rice said via Facebook. “I can serve the United States, receive a top tier education and become employed immediately after graduation and most importantly play football.”

McBride and his coaching staff has come in and not only set records with the football program but is setting Coppell records with recruits going to some of the best schools in the nation.

“We have a coaching staff that is very experienced,” Coach Stephen Fex said, “We have a lot of connections to get kids playing at the next level.”

Keep an eye out for former Cowboys playing throughout the country this bowl season.