Oklahoma All-State football 2022: How Colorado signee Taje McCoy became an unstoppable force for Putnam City
Putnam City’s opponents throughout the 2022 season knew they’d need to be prepared for Taje McCoy.
Coming off a breakout junior year, McCoy had already proven he was one of the most talented edge rushers in the state.
If McCoy was going to have another impactful year, he understood he’d have obstacles from week to week.
“Everybody had to game plan around him,” Putnam City coach Carter Whitson said. “Everybody’s pass protection was planned towards him. They’d chip him with a tight end, they’d put a running back also on that side.”
Along with double-teaming McCoy, offenses tried to avoid him entirely by running plays to the opposite side.
But none of that stuff really mattered.
McCoy still found ways to make his presence known, and his stats at the end of the season reflected that.
The Colorado signee finished with 66 assisted tackles, 28 solo tackles, 17 sacks and two blocked kicks in Putnam City’s 11 games.
For his stellar senior season, he has been named The Oklahoman's 110th All-State football team's Defensive Player of the Year.
“Impact is kind of the word that comes to mind with him,” Whitson said.
McCoy’s year was filled with impressive games at defensive end, but the 6-foot-3, 230-pounder also played some offense.
Later in the season, he lined up at running back and dominated.
“It was exciting because I used to run the ball a lot in little league, so it just brought me back mentally,” said McCoy, whose first name is pronounced “tah-jay.”
“It felt natural too when I was still doing it, and it was fun just helping my team out doing whatever I needed to do.”
McCoy’s 17 sacks this season were a school record at Putnam City, which competes in Class 6A-II and finished with a 4-7 record.
But McCoy's pass-rushing ability wasn’t the only thing that stood out when he was on defense.
“He’s got an incredible motor,” Whitson said. “He’s obviously got tons of skill. But he plays D-end like a Mike linebacker. He chases the ball down even if it goes away from him, which people tried to do. He just fights his way every play to go be a part of it.”
McCoy’s background probably has a lot to do with his style.
He was a linebacker and running back before becoming an edge rusher as a sophomore.
Former OU linebacker Rufus Alexander was an assistant on Putnam City’s staff and played a big role in McCoy’s development as McCoy made the switch.
The young pass rusher quickly improved and was nearly unstoppable as a junior and senior.
Opponents had a tough time against McCoy, who was often the victim of holding penalties.
The penalties became so frequent that Whitson would often go to officials before plays and let them know that McCoy would probably get held.
“This guy can’t block 44, so get your hand on your flag if they throw a pass because nobody can block him,” Whitson recalled saying to them.
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McCoy has a true love for the game, and that’s why he’ll continue his career in college.
He’s dreamed of playing college football since he was a young kid.
It’s a dream his late brother, Deontre Reed, also had before dying of lung cancer.
“He passed when he was 15 in 2009, a day after my birthday, actually,” said McCoy, who grew up in Wichita, Kansas, before moving to the Dallas area in elementary school then to Oklahoma City as a middle-schooler.
“He got to play football too when he was younger, so I really looked up to him, just wanted to fill those shoes. I know he’d be doing the same thing I’ll be doing if he was around. I knew that was one of his big dreams he had. So just to be able to do this, I think it makes my mom real happy, and my whole family is proud of me.”
McCoy, a Rivals three-star prospect, is excited to see what he can do at Colorado.
He developed a solid rapport with new head coach Deion Sanders. That was a big reason he chose the Buffaloes over other programs that offered him, including Arkansas State, Baylor, Iowa State, Kansas, Kansas State, Memphis, Missouri, Oklahoma State, South Dakota, Tulane and Vanderbilt.
“He’s pretty chill, honestly,” McCoy said. “He keeps it real with you the whole process. He gives me the opportunity, but I have to take advantage of it. That’s what he told me. He didn’t promise me anything.
“He just told me I got to come in and work, and he’s going to give me the opportunity because that’s all you really need.”
Reporter Nick Sardis covers high school sports across the Oklahoma City metro and state. Have a story idea for Nick? He can be reached at nsardis@oklahoman.com or on Twitter at @nick_sardis. Support Nick’s work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today at oklahoman.com/subscribe or by using the link at the top of this page.
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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Colorado football signee Taje McCoy became an unstoppable force
