Gov. Greg Abbott has announced three appointments to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, which provides oversight for the state’s public universities.
According to a press release from the Governor’s Office, Abbott appointed Colt McCoy of Aledo and Darryl Heath of Colleyville to the board on Monday. Abbott also re-appointed Ashlie Thomas of Victoria.
McCoy, a 2009 graduate of UT-Austin, played quarterback for the Longhorn football team. He led the Longhorns to the national championship game during his senior season, where he suffered a devastating shoulder injury. Texas ultimately lost that game to Alabama.
McCoy went on to spend 14 years in the National Football League before retiring prior to the 2024 season.
Since retiring, McCoy has gone on to work in the real estate industry in Fort Worth. He also serves on several advisory boards at UT-Austin, including the School of Civic Leadership.
In 2021, left-wing media reported that McCoy was part of a group of alumni that defended the university’s iconic fight song, “The Eyes of Texas,” against allegations of racism.
Darryl Heath worked as a corporate executive before retiring in 2015. He has since founded an investment company and served in a variety of philanthropic positions. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1985.
The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board oversees a variety of functions related to the state’s taxpayer-subsidized universities.
As part of Senate Bill 37, a law the Texas legislature passed in 2025, the board will oversee a review of general education requirements and issue a report to lawmakers in December 2026. The coordinating board also supervises an ombudsman’s office that monitors compliance with this law.
These appointments will be subject to confirmation by the Texas Senate when the legislature returns in 2027.
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