Austin ? Matt McCoy, a senior walk-on who has never thrown a pass in college, is practicing as the No. 1 quarterback for Texas while the Longhorns wait to see if injured Colt McCoy will be able to play in the Alamo Bowl against Iowa.

“We still don’t know about Colt,” coach Mack Brown said Wednesday. “It’s a long way till game time, and they have not told us yet if he’ll play.”

Colt McCoy, who suffered a severely pinched nerve in his neck in the final minute of a 12-7 loss to Texas A&M, said he expects to play when the Longhorns (9-3) and Hawkeyes (6-6) meet Dec. 30 in San Antonio.

“It’s coming along every day,” Colt McCoy said. “All of the pain is gone.”

Colt McCoy set a school record with 27 touchdown passes as a redshirt freshman and had led the Longhorns to eight straight wins before he hurt his neck the first time on the first drive of a 45-42 loss at Kansas State on Nov. 11.

He was able to return to the field against the Aggies, but got visibly weaker as the game went on and threw three interceptions.

Jevan Snead, the No. 2 QB all season, then decided to transfer.

That left the Longhorns with Matt McCoy, who has taken only a handful of snaps in mop-up duty the past two seasons. A fourth-year walk-on, his high point in high school was leading private Episcopal School of Dallas to the 2002 Division II title game of the 18-team Southwest Preparatory Conference.

On Wednesday, Matt McCoy said he doesn’t expect to start the bowl game.

“We know Colt’s going to be ready to play,” Matt McCoy said.

And if he gets injured again?

“Hopefully, Colt will be prepared and play the whole game,” he said.

If Matt McCoy had to play, Brown said he’s a fast runner who has shown athleticism running the scout team in previous seasons. He ran a veer option offense in high school.

Brown said he’ll also prepare sophomore wide receiver Quan Cosby as an emergency quarterback but with a very limited package of plays.