The 2023 football season looms closer and Dodge City Conquistador football team has bolstered its coaching staff ahead of the 2023 season with the addition of Rico McCoy. 

McCoy joins Head Coach Terry Karg's staff headed into his second season leading the Conqs and he will work on the defensive side of the ball working with the nickelbacks and defensive backs overall. He comes to Dodge City after serving as the head coach at Gateway high school in Aurora, Colorado last year, while working as the Athletic Director for the 2022-23 school year at Montview middle school in Denver, Colorado. 

"I jumped at the opportunity to be part of coach Karg's staff and help out however I can make DCCC a great program again. I also look forward to assisting coach Turner as much as is needed to help his vision come to fruition of having a great defense," said McCoy about the opportunity to join the Conqs coaching staff. 

Prior to coaching high school football last year, McCoy served as linebacker coach and special teams coordinator at Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina during the 2021 season. During his time at Allen, he coached a special teams group that ranked fourth in NCAA Division II in blocked kicks, along with averaging 36 yards per kick return and scoring three special teams touchdowns. He also spent time as an assistant coach at Knoxville high school (Tennessee), George Washington high school (Colorado), and St. John's college high school (Washington DC). 

"I hope to impact the culture here at DCCC in a positive manner, insisting that our student-athletes do things the right way. I plan on sharing my passion for the game of football, while also helping our student-athletes grow as young adults," said McCoy. 

McCoy hopes to make a big impact for the Conqs and on top of pulling from his coaching experience he will look to use his collegiate playing experience to help teach. Attending the University of Tennessee, McCoy finished his career for the Volunteers with 350 tackles which ranks in the Top 10 in school history. Competing for the Volunteers from 2006 to 2009 he earned freshman All-American honors and All-SEC freshman honors in 2006 while snagging second-team All-SEC his sophomore, junior, and senior years. He would spend time briefly with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2010 as an undrafted free agent before briefly spending time in the Canadian Football League. As a high school player in Washington DC, he earned US Army All-American honors and was Washington DC Gatorade Player of the Year. 

He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Tennessee in political science. 

The Conqs are set to open the 2023 season on Saturday, August 26th taking on Iowa Western at home with a 1:00 pm kickoff.