Isaac Coughran has an unbridled passion for singing. It’s been that way since he was a first-grader, performing in theater productions in his home state of California.
Coughran, a senior offensive lineman for Katy High School, said singing has been a way for him to clear his mind and escape the stresses of life, if only for a short time. He’s a member of the high school choir and hopes that signing remains a big part of his life.
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Coughran, a three-star recruit who has committed to Oklahoma, is a self-proclaimed connoisseur of several different genres, but the one that really speaks to him holds a spiritual significance.
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“I love all types of music, but what I listen to mainly is Christian music,” he said. “Just worshiping God, giving him all the glory. That’s all life is, just growing closer to him. I love giving him everything, and I’m thankful for all of my opportunities he’s given me.”
Coughran and his Katy teammates weren’t belting out tunes on the football field Friday night at Legacy Stadium, but they certainly put on an impressive performance.
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The No. 6 state-ranked Tigers extended their program’s district winning streak to 43 games with an emphatic 56-10 victory against Jordan. Katy (4-0, 2-0) hasn’t lost a district game since 2020, and the homecoming win over the Warriors (2-1, 1-1) – whom the Tigers are now 5-0 against – represented another step toward the 22-6A title.
“It really showed us that when we come together as a brotherhood and execute, we can do a lot of great things,” Coughran said after the victory. “We’ve just got to stay focused, keeping working and keep getting better each and every day. … What’s impressed me is the relationship part – how close we’ve gotten over the summer, over these weeks of football. It’s really a brotherhood, and it’s incredible to see.”
Coughran and his compadres in the trenches set the tone right out of the gates, clearing the way for running back Tony Manuel to race 75 yards up the middle for a touchdown on the Tigers’ first play from scrimmage. The carnage continued throughout the first half as Katy rushed for 259 yards at 11 yards per attempt en route to a 35-3 lead.
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It was more of the same after the intermission as the Tigers continued to plow through the Warriors’ defense. Manuel led the charge with 175 yards and three touchdowns, including an 8-yarder early in the third quarter during which Coughran and other teammates dragged him across the goal line in a display of sheer, relentless will. C.J. Watts also had a big game with nine carries for 143 yards and two touchdowns.
By the time the Tigers’ second possession of the third quarter rolled around, Coughran was on the sideline having the athletic tape cut away from around his hands and wrists. Katy rushed for a shade below 300 yards before he and rest of the starters made their exit from the blowout, but the Tigers finished the game with 443 on the ground.
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“When our backs got put to the wall, they responded,” Katy coach Gary Joseph said. “They made plays, and the kids didn’t give up. From an offensive standpoint, I felt like they controlled the line of scrimmage, which we needed to do. Defensively, we made some big plays, and that was good, and we created some turnovers. Those are the things we need to continue to do to have a championship-type football team.”
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Coughran, who played both left and right tackle, has been instrumental in helping the Tigers put together their first 4-0 start since 2022, the year of their last state semifinal appearance. Coughran is a two-time team captain and four-year varsity letterman for Katy, which has a robust tradition of playing smash-mouth football on offense.
Coughran, who stands 6-foot-4 and 295 pounds, looks like he was born to bury opposing defensive linemen into the turf. But he had never even played organized football until his family moved to Katy from California when he was in seventh grade.
Basketball was Coughran’s first love. His grandfather, John Coughran, played in the NBA for the Golden State Warriors in 1979-80 and competed internationally as well. Growing up in the San Jose area, Isaac developed a close relationship with John, who’s been instrumental in shaping the young man and athlete he’s grown into.
“We’re really close, and I’m really close to all of my family,” Coughran said. “He’s been able to give me tips and help me out mentally with everything, just staying focused on what’s important and keeping the main thing the main thing. It’s been really great.”
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When Coughran relocated to Texas, he went through somewhat of a culture shock. Katy has been a pillar of high school football in the Lone Star State for a long time. Since he first got started in the district as a middle school player, his appreciation for the sport – as well as the hype and pageantry that swirls around it – has continued to grow.
“It was a big change,” Coughran said. “I just had to trust in God and have him show me what I was meant to do and have him guide me throughout the whole journey.”
After his sophomore season at Katy, Coughran has presented with another challenge. He was asked by his coaches to switch from the defensive line to the offensive line. Joseph recognized that Coughran had the requisite skill set to make an impact for the Tigers on that side of the ball. That decision – and, of course, Coughran’s willingness to adapt – are paying huge dividends for a team that has state championship aspirations.
“He responded like I knew he would respond,” Joseph said. “I knew we needed to get somebody like him on our offensive line with the leadership he brings. We have three seniors up there that do a really good job, and two of them are captains. That just tells you what kind of character he has and what kind of kid he is. There’s not a day during the summer that he didn’t come up to the school and work out, and he’d do it by himself. I’d sit there from my office and just watch him and be amazed at how hard he worked.”
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Katy still has six games remaining in the regular season before the road to Arlington for the UIL state championships begins. The Tigers have won nine titles in their storied history, but Joseph knows that if they want to contend for the 10th, they need to continue to improve between now and November and not get complacent. Coughran echoed the same sentiments as his coach and is focused on enjoying every moment.
“It’s a blast,” Coughran said. “I have so much fun with these guys, and we’re all super close. Being able to compete with these guys, play with these guys, and, even in practice, pushing each other to be better, it’s incredible. There’s nothing like it.”
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This article originally published at Katy and offensive lineman Isaac Coughran hit all the right notes in 56-10 win over Jordan.
