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TOP JOBS

By HAROLD WILSON
Staff Writer

Guess who’s coming to town?

Several touchdown-producers in the National Football League are scheduled to touch down in the Rose City next week for the Sixth Annual McCown Passing Camp.

Along with the renowned McCown quarterbacks — Josh McCown of the Miami Dolphins, Luke McCown of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and former Texas A&M standout Randy McCown — four other big passing targets will be on hand. Arizona Cardinals receivers Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, along with Baltimore Ravens wideout Michael Clayton and Cleveland Browns tight end Kellen Winslow Jr. round out the star-studded field.

“It’s a good opportunity,” said Randy, who confirmed each of the NFLers on the itinerary is booked to come to Tyler. “Josh has made relationships through his time and he does some charity work with Anquan and Luke, too. All these guys scratch each other’s back so to speak. That’s what were trying to bring, opportunities we’ve been blessed to have to East Texas and kids and hopefully they can benefit.”

After five years in Jacksonville, the event moves to the Tyler Junior College campus at Pat Hartley Field to capitalize on more space and hopefully more growth down the road.

“We’re looking to grow it into a two to three-day overnight camp,” Randy added. “TJC, with dorms, was a better fit and that’s kind of our vision.”

In its fifth year, the event swelled from 25 in the inaugural summer to 150 campers.

“Every year we’ve seen growth,” said the eldest McCown brother, who in 1998 helped the Aggies reach the Big 12 championship game. “We started with 25 kids and last year had over 150. We’re bringing in former coaches and players and it’s turning into a big deal. Our goal is to touch as many kids as possible.”

With the camp, the McCowns and other NFLers want to give the kids personal attention along with key pointers that have made them one of the most successful group of sibling quarterbacks this side of Eli and Peyton Manning.

“The kids can expect to come and see the building blocks and pieces of the puzzle that allowed us to have success — our work ethic,” Randy continued. “And we’re going to share instruction on technique. We feel there are so many life lessons to be learned from football. We’ve always had the mentality of our attention to detail. And you can get a hands-on experience. Josh, Luke and I, we’re teaching, instructing groups. That’s how we try to differentiate our camp from others.”

Having the receivers only makes the camp better near-equal mix of quarterbacks and wide receivers expected to be in attendance. The wide receivers accounted for roughly 40 percent of the campers last year, Randy said.

“A moving target is better to throw to than a field target,” Randy added. “We’ve tried to bring them in years pass and tried to incorporate routes. Obviously with the wide receivers coming in, they’ll teach techniques. You get hands-on from some of the best that are out there.”

Along with instruction, the campers get the chance to develop personal relationships with the stars.

“A lot of times, whether it's Josh or Anquan, they get a misperception of what they are,” Randy said. “It’s good these kids can go up and ask those guys, how did you do this. … Each guy is going to have a 10 or 15 minute time to share their thoughts.”

In the two-day span, the McCowns and Co. plan to stress the small details.

“I think where people separate themselves is we try to teach them the little things,” he said. “It’s the character, releasing the football, running routes. Anyone that’s been successful will tell you they did the things really good. (Indianapolis Colts coach) Tony Dungy — that was his thing: doing the normal things better than everyone else. That’s what we try to cater our camp to.”

What: McCown Passing Camp

When: Friday, July 27 (4-8 p.m.) and Saturday, July 28 (8 a.m.-Noon).

Where: Tyler Junior College’s Pat Hartley Field.

Who:

For boys entering grades 6-12. Registration is $125. For more information, visit www.mccownpassingcamp.com.

Josh McCown,