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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Larry Coker of The University of Texas at San |
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Antonio has built an exceptional record of success as a college |
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football coach, and his leadership has been instrumental in the |
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early achievements of the Roadrunner football program; and |
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WHEREAS, A native of Okemah, Oklahoma, Coach Coker played |
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football as a defensive back at Northeastern State University; he |
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graduated in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in history and went on to |
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earn a master's degree in guidance counseling and physical |
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education from the same institution; and |
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WHEREAS, After beginning his career as a head coach at the |
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high school level in his home state, Coach Coker entered the |
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collegiate ranks in 1979 as an assistant at the University of Tulsa; |
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he then worked as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, Oklahoma, |
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and Ohio State before joining the University of Miami in 1995 as |
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offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, and in 2001 he was |
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promoted to head coach of the Hurricanes; and |
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WHEREAS, He was just the second coach in National Collegiate |
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Athletic Association history to win a national championship in his |
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debut season, and he racked up a total of 24 consecutive victories |
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before suffering a loss; posting an outstanding 60-15 record in his |
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six seasons at the helm, he led Miami to three Big East Conference |
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titles and appearances in three Bowl Championship Series games, and |
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he was twice honored as National Coach of the Year; and |
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WHEREAS, Coach Coker spent two years as a college football |
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analyst for ESPN before being hired by UTSA in 2009 to build the |
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school's new football program from scratch; beginning play in 2011, |
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the team enjoyed unprecedented fan support from the outset, and the |
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Roadrunners established NCAA records for inaugural game attendance |
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and average home attendance by a startup program; the 2012 season |
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saw many highlights for UTSA, as Coach Coker guided the team to |
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their first victories in the Western Athletic Conference and in the |
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Football Bowl Subdivision; finishing with an 8-4 record, the squad |
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is well prepared to begin its initial season in Conference USA in |
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2013; and |
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WHEREAS, Through his knowledge, skill, and commitment to |
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excellence, Larry Coker has established the UTSA program as a |
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rising force in college football, and his teams are sure to be a |
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source of excitement for Roadrunner fans in the years to come; now, |
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therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 83rd Texas |
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Legislature hereby honor Larry Coker on his noteworthy coaching |
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career and extend to him sincere best wishes for continued success; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for Coach Coker as an expression of high regard by the |
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Texas House of Representatives. |