Former NFL QB Luke McCown speaks at East Texas Kick-Off Luncheon; Gilmer earns community service award

Published 10:32 pm Tuesday, July 29, 2025

Jacksonville High School’s cheerleaders and marching band greeted attendees as they entered the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center for the 19th Annual East Texas Kick-Off Luncheon on Tuesday.

It was fitting because the guest speaker was former Jacksonville High School standout Luke McCown.

“The blue and gold, it doesn’t get any better,” McCown said. “Nothing says East Texas football like the Jacksonville Fightin’ Indians, so we’re excited about that. And we’re looking forward to what coach Montey (Stevenson) does down there and the energy he brings to our school.”

After Jacksonville, McCown was a standout at Louisiana Tech University. He became the starter early into his freshman season and started 42 games in his career, establishing school records for completions (1,088), attempts (1,827) and passing yards (12,994). His 88 touchdown passes ranked eighth-most in NCAA Division I FBS history. He also had 11 rushing touchdowns. He still holds several NCAA Division I FBS records, including most plays by a freshman in a single game (80) against Miami in 2000; most attempted passes by a freshman in a single game (72) against Miami in 2000; most completed passes by a freshman in a single game (47) against Auburn in 2000; and most seasons of 2,000-plus yards (four) — from 2000 to 2003, McCown gained 2,544, 3,337, 3,539 and 3,246 yards.

He was inducted into the Louisiana Tech Athletics Hall of Fame in 2017, and this year, McCown was named to the Louisiana Tech Football All-Quarter Century Team.

“It meant a lot,” McCown said. “I put in a lot of work, a lot of time and a lot of effort into that. But ultimately, I looked at it as I was excited for the guys that I played with, Bobby Gray, John Simons, Aaron Lips, Ryan Moats and some other guys that I got to play with that deserve those honors and so many more that maybe aren’t on that team that contributed to my success, that contributed greatly to the things that I get recognized for.

“So ultimately, what it does is it allows you to stop and reflect for a moment on the people that helped you get to where you are or where you were in my case, and it means so much when you do that.”

McCown, a fourth round pick (106^th overall) by the Cleveland Browns in the 2004 NFL Draft, appeared in games in 10 different seasons, playing in a total of 62 NFL games with 10 starts for the Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints from 2004-15. In the NFL, McCown was 216 of 356 for 2,370 yards with nine touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He was also on the Saints in 2016 and was on the Dallas Cowboys practice squad in 2017 before retiring on April 20, 2018.

“Everybody comes into a season with high expectations, McCown said. “You head into a career with high expectations. You plan on it going a certain way. Rarely does it go that way. That’s my story. Certainly my career started well and through high school and college and into the NFL, you have dreams and aspirations and understanding that things change for a number of different reasons, but ultimately, it’s who holds the cards and who orders the steps of those dreams and allowing God the opportunity to be lord over that. My message today is just going to be that though it may not go as you plan or as you hope when you start out, there’s purpose in it.”

Gilmer won The Coach Danny Palmer East Texas Team Community Service Award.

“What a humbling thing to be honored with,” Gilmer head football coach and athletic director Alan Metzel said. “I am so excited to be able to take this back and talk to the team about this and just confirm the value system that we’re trying to get, that it’s not about me as an individual; it’s always about team, your community and your school. Pouring into others is what it’s truly all about. I am so very blessed and honroed to be able to take this back to Gilmer, Texas.”

Bryan Houston, of CMC Neptune and Neptune Game Time and the voice of the Longview Lobos, served as emcee.

Jared Moffatt, Van’s head football coach, gave the invocation.

The Kick-Off was presented by SPORTyler, Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, City of Tyler and Visit Tyler.

Representing area schools were:

All Saints: head coach Kyle Freeman, associated head of school Kyle Edgemon, athlete Manny Mizer; Arp: athletic director/head coach Wes Schminkey, superintendent Shannon Arrington, athlete Jaxon Schminkey; Athens: head coach Zac Harrell, defensive coordinator Chayse Rives, offensive coordinator Don Waddle, athlete David Richardson; Big Sandy: athletic director/head coach Brian Pullum, defensive coordinator Chace Woods, athlete Brennon Ference; Bishop T.K. Gorman: athletic director Monica Davis, head coach Ed Burns, assistant head coach Marcus Townsend, athlete Draylyn Ray; Brook Hill: dean of students/assistant coach Nick Harrison, assistant head of school Chris Jordan, athlete Hayden Watson; Brownsboro: athletic director/head coach Lance Connot, athlete Gabe Hendricks, defensive coordinator Wesley Thompson, offensive coordinator Ryan Hood; Bullard: athletic director Scott Callaway, head coach Colt Bradford, principal Chad Bentley, athlete Jonah Hunter; Carthage: athletic director/head coach Scott Surratt and wife Summer, superintendent Jared Bitter and wife Marlo, athlete Jett Surratt; Cayuga: superintendent Dr. Joe Satterwhite, athlete Dylan Crawford; Chapel Hill: athletic director/head coach Jeff Riordan, assistant athletic director Matt Riordan, athlete Damarcion Blaylock, assistant superintendent Matt Strode; Frankston: athletic director/head coach Paul Gould, athlete Bradlee Gould; Gilmer: athletic director/head coach Alan Metzel, athlete Chance Waker, offensive line coach Weston Griffis; Gladewater: athletic director/head coach Jermaine Lewis, athlete Mason Budro; Grace Community: head of school Dr. Jay Ferguson, athletic director Eddie Francis, athletic coordinator Mike Lee, head coach Tim Russell, offensive coordinator Tyler Fleet, defensive coordinator Phil Castles, assessment coach Mark Well, athlete Justus McQuay; Grand Saline: athletic director/head coach Joe Drennon, athlete Gabe Lewis, superintendent Micah Lewis; Henderson: athletic director/head coach Ricky Meeks, superintendent Brian Bowman, athlete Macen Jones and dad Gary Jones; Jacksonville: athletic director/head coach Montey Stevenson, athlete Saul Garcia; Kilgore College: head coach Willie Gooden, defensive coordinator Russell Thompson, wide receiver coach JT Mackey, athletes La’Ravien Wright and Kareem Edmond; Lindale: superintendent Stan Surratt, athlete Asher Medders; Longview: assistant head coach Oscar Wilson, athlete Beckett Cox; Pine Tree:  athletic director Jacob Holder, athlete Anthony Anderson; Rusk:  athletic director/head coach Cody Welch, athlete Adrian Tumblin; Spring Hill: athletic director/head coach Brandon Joslin, athlete Josh Otujor; Texas College: athletic director Elissa Burwell, head coach Jarrail Jackson, athlete Jalen Jackson; Trinity Valley Community College: head coach Sherard Poteete, athlete Jude Edwards; Troup: athletic director/head coach Sam Wells, athlete Noble Kendrick, superintendent Tammy Jones; Tyler: head coach Rashaun Woods, athlete Caden Granberry, athletic director Sam Gillispie, athletic coordinator Jayme Moore; Tyler Legacy: head coach Beau Trahan, athlete Jordan Harris, athletic director Sam Gillespie, assistant athletic director/campus coordinator Colin Shillinglaw, principal Geoff Sherman; Tyler Junior College: athletic director Doug Wren, associate athletic director Preston Caldwell, athletic trainer Eddy McGuire, head coach Tanner Jacobson, offensive coordinator Brady Davis, co-defensive coordinator Ono Tafisi, special teams coordinator/wide receivers coach Terrence Louis, offensive line coach Alex Sults, defensive back coach David Johnson, athlete Ruben Smith, provost/vice president for academic and student affairs Dr. Deana Shepherd; Van: athletic director/head coach Jared Moffatt, athlete Collier Bryant, offensive line coach Zach Bryant; Whitehouse: head coach Kyle Westerberg, athlete Caleb Toombs and mom, athletic director Don Newton, superintendent Dr. Casey Whittle; and Winona: head coach/athletic director Kenneth Cook, athlete Easton Sometherman, superintendent Justin Cowart.