Coach McKinney Hits Reset: Primed to Lead Channelview Falcons, Praises Former QB Andrew Body

HOUSTON -- Clarence McKinney was no longer watching football. After spending roughly 30 years immersed in coaching, the former Texas Southern head coach stepped away from the sport following the 2023 season. He stopped following all football, his players, and his alma mater. Also, he declined coaching opportunities and spent time reconnecting with his family.

Then Channelview High School called.

Today, Coach McKinney is back on the sideline as the interim head football coach of the Falcons, taking over this summer after Averion Hurts Sr. retired following 20 years leading the program.

For McKinney, the return isn't about trying to recreate his past. It's about helping a program move forward while honoring the coach who built it.

"Coach Hurts recently retired and I got a phone call to see if I could come help the program out, and I wasn't doing much of anything, so I decided to get out here and give them a boost," McKinney told HBCU Legends.

The move brings a familiar name in Houston-area football back to the field while creating a new chapter after five seasons leading Texas Southern.

McKinney's decision to return, his evaluation of former Texas Southern quarterback Andrew Body and his challenge at Channelview all reveal a coach who believes the time away from football was necessary.

Clarence McKinney Needed to Step Away From Football

McKinney didn't leave coaching because he had run out of opportunities.

After TSU did not renew his contract, he left to take a well-deserved break.

"I've been off the grid altogether. I hadn't paid attention to any football, whether that be SWAC or any other conference. I just took a break from everything," McKinney said.

Why did he choose to remove himself from the profession?

"I had a couple of offers. I wasn't in the right state of mind at that particular time. I felt like I needed some time away to get my battery recharged. I had been doing this for 30 years straight."

The time away allowed McKinney to focus on family and experience sports from a different perspective.

His son, a redshirt junior college basketball player, is nearing his degree and pursuing opportunities in basketball. McKinney said he plans to support his son regardless of which direction his career takes.

"You got to allow your kids to find their niche and see what they like and what they can fall in love with, and support them."

That perspective became part of McKinney's own reset.

He needed time away from football before he could determine whether he wanted to return.

Now, he's back.

Ralph Cooper Saw a Coach in Clarence McKinney Before He Was One

McKinney's coaching roots in Houston run deeper than his résumé.

During the interview, Hall of Fame Houston broadcaster Ralph Cooper recalled first seeing McKinney as a seventh grader at Ryan Middle School during the inaugural Stars of the Future basketball tournament.

Cooper initially thought McKinney was simply a young ball boy; he learned otherwise.

The young Clarence was functioning as a player-coach.

"He was a coach before he was a coach," Cooper said.

McKinney agreed that period helped shape his future.

"I think that's around the time that I decided I wanted to go into coaching," he said.

That path eventually took McKinney to Jack Yates High School, where he went 30-8 as a head coach before moving into the college ranks at Houston, Texas A&M and Arizona.

He ultimately returned to Houston and spent five seasons leading Texas Southern.

The Channelview job therefore represents more than a return to football. It is a return to the level of coaching where McKinney first established himself as a head coach.

"My first head coaching position was at Yates High School," McKinney said. "It's been 20 years ago, but it's like riding a bike."

Coach McKinney takes over as interim HC at Channelview High School. | Credit: VYPE

McKinney's Channelview Job Is Interim -- For Now

McKinney isn't treating Channelview as a guaranteed long-term position.

He was brought in to stabilize the program while the school determines its permanent direction.

"I hadn't gotten into it thinking long term. I was given a phone call and asked to come hold it down until they can figure out the head coaching situation," McKinney said.

The opportunity could eventually become something more, but McKinney said that decision hasn't been made.

"I'm sure if I do a good job here and some people like what they see, I have an opportunity, but I haven't been told that yet."

For now, his focus is on developing players and building on the foundation established by Hurts.

McKinney has no intention of attempting to replace the longtime Channelview coach.

“One thing that I'm not going to try and do is replace Coach Hurts because I know what he means to this school. I know what he means to this community," McKinney said.

Instead, McKinney wants to develop the Falcons into a program capable of sustained success.

"My goal is to take the program to the next level. And go out and develop our players, develop the kids that are within our program, and hopefully build a program that can sustain winning."

Channelview Faces One of Texas' Toughest Districts

The challenge waiting for McKinney is significant. He considers Channelview's district one of the toughest in Texas.

"We're in what we think is the toughest district in the state of Texas," McKinney said. "We got a tough slate on our schedule, but we're up for the challenge."

Channelview's district includes North Shore, the returning state champion, along with Summer Creek, C.E. King, Atascocita, Humble, Kingwood and Crosby.

Approximately 25 players return for Channelview, including wide receiver Davion Vanderbilt, a Maryland commit.

Against that level of competition, McKinney believes the difference between winning and losing begins with fundamentals.

Ball security, discipline, and avoiding pre-snap penalties.

"It starts with taking care of the ball and minimizing your penalties, minimizing your mistakes," McKinney said.

He considers those mistakes preventable and places responsibility for correcting them squarely on the head coach.

"It's definitely on the head coach to prepare the players for those kind of mistakes. You got to get it corrected in practice."

Even practice presents a challenge.

Channelview must work within UIL heat parameters, forcing the coaching staff to adjust practice schedules around weather conditions.

For McKinney, that is another adjustment to life back in high school football.

Clarence McKinney on Andrew Body: "If You Get a Healthy Andrew..."

Few connections tie McKinney's Texas Southern tenure to the current HBCU football landscape more directly than Andrew Body.

Body was among the quarterbacks McKinney recruited to Texas Southern. Now, the quarterback enters his final college season as a graduate student at Alabama State after earning his degree.

McKinney's assessment of Body is straightforward: The talent has never been the question about the HBCU All-American, health has.

"Great young man. He was a pleasure to coach, pleasure to be around," McKinney said. "It doesn't surprise me that he has his degree because he was very driven."

McKinney believes Body has the physical ability and leadership qualities to make a major impact when healthy.

"The biggest thing with Andrew has been health," McKinney said. "When it comes to playing football, he's one of the best athletes, best quarterbacks that I've been around, and he just hadn't been healthy the entire time."

His belief in Body extends beyond statistics, as he sees a quarterback teammates naturally follow.

"If you get a healthy Andrew, he's a great leader. Guys follow him, they expect him to make plays, and he makes those plays that are expected of him."

McKinney also credited Body's family and upbringing for helping shape the quarterback's approach to football and academics.

That combination of talent, leadership and drive is why McKinney isn't surprised by the recognition Body has received entering his final season.

Channelview Has Weeks to Install a New System

The biggest immediate challenge is time.

Channelview's season opener against Spring is scheduled for Aug. 28 at 7 p.m., leaving McKinney and his staff a limited window to install new offensive and defensive systems.

"I hadn't been here very long, so we're installing a totally new scheme for our guys that we're expecting them to learn in a few days," McKinney said. "That's not a lot of time to do everything you need to do."

McKinney isn't putting a statistical benchmark on the opener.

His expectations are simpler: Play hard. Play through the whistle. Protect the football. Make plays, and celebrate together.

"I just want to see our guys play hard. We're going to play from snap to whistle. I want to see our guys take care of the ball and make plays, and celebrate with each other after making plays."

He also wants the Channelview community in the stands.

The message is clear: McKinney's return isn't simply about winning football games. It's about rebuilding a connection between the program, its players and the community.

Clarence McKinney's Football Return Is About More Than Football

After 30 years in coaching, McKinney walked away.

He spent time with his family. He watched his son play basketball. He declined opportunities. He cleared his mind.

The interim tag at Channelview comes with an unforgiving schedule for the Falcons.

But McKinney has returned to the sideline with a familiar philosophy: develop players, eliminate preventable mistakes and build something capable of lasting beyond one season.

His own experience has taught him that football is bigger than wins and losses.

"Football is about life lessons. You're not going to be a winner all the time. You're gonna have some ups and downs, and you got to deal with both the ups and the downs," McKinney said.

Now the next lesson begins under the lights at Channelview.

The Falcons open Aug. 28 against Spring.

For McKinney, it marks a new beginning in football. Hopefully, one that produces more championships, while developing the Falcons’ football players into great young men.

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