John McCoy is home — at least for a little while.

The Kansas University football defensive end, who has been serving overseas as a member of the 317th Quartermaster Batallion in the Army Reserves, arrived in San Diego this week, and will have a 15-day period of rest and relaxation before returning to finish his tour of duty.

“His spirits are very good,” said KU coach Mark Mangino, who spoke with McCoy on Wednesday. “He feels like he’s in really good condition. Like the rest of the guys, they’re just waiting to see what develops over there.”

Mangino became worried after multiple e-mails to McCoy in the last three weeks weren’t returned. But KU coaches learned Wednesday that McCoy was back in the United States and will visit family and friends before going back to work in about two weeks.

McCoy is hoping — though he’s not sure — that his tour of duty will be done next summer, and he said that if he’s feeling sharp physically like he does now, he wants to re-join KU’s football team in time for the 2006 season.

“We’ll pay for his education whether he can do it or not,” Mangino said.

McCoy couldn’t discuss specifics regarding his whereabouts, but he did tell Mangino he spends much of his free time taking online classes, reading and working out. Though a viral infection caused him to lose a lot of weight recently, he’s bulked up to 250 pounds, his playing weight at KU.

Mangino said the support for McCoy from KU fans had been overwhelming and outstanding.

“We’ve had a lot of people call here and ask about John McCoy,” Mangino said. “I was glad that he called me. I was real happy to hear his voice.

“He’s part of our football family. To our coaching staff, he’s like one of our kids. There can’t be a more frightful feeling for us than to have one of our own be in a hostile environment for our military.”

McCoy joined the Army Reserves in 2000 out of high school as a way to pay for his college education. He wasn’t a highly recruited football player, and played two seasons at Victor Valley College in California before joining KU for the 2003 season. He played in 12 games at defensive end, recording 11 tackles.

Overseas, McCoy said he constantly was on the move, though the conditions and food have gotten a little better. Still, Mangino said McCoy longs to be in Lawrence playing football again — and he still has every intention to as soon as possible.

“He told me that he’d much rather be at winter workouts,” Mangino said, “throwing up in a trash can.”