ARLINGTON, Texas -- Joe Minden showed there’s a lot more to Coppell football than just a great running back.

The senior quarterback coolly picked apart an Arlington Colts secondary that might have thought its only Friday night duty would be stopping the run.

The result was a 42-20 victory that is sure to bring concern to defensive coordinators who remain on Coppell’s schedule.

“We wanted to mix it up, pass and run,’’ Minden said after throwing for three touchdowns and running 44 yards for another in the first half. “We wanted to balance it out this week.’’

Coppell (2-0) leaned heavily on the run in last week’s 13-0 win over Mesquite Horn, as running back Cam McDaniel could testify after carrying 44 times for 218 yards.

Arlington (1-1) did a good job on McDaniel in the first half (14 carries, 48 yards) but Minden torched the Colts for 206 yards on 14-of-25 passing, helping the Cowboys open a 35-20 lead.

“Last week when we ran the ball, we were working on some things,’’ Coppell coach Joe McBride said. “When we throw it, I expect us to throw it well and I expect us to catch it, too.’’

Minden was able to sustain drives by going 6-for-8 on third down.

It was Arlington that ended Coppell’s season in the third round of the playoffs in 2009, but McBride downplayed the revenge angle.

“I didn’t hear our guys say anything about revenge,’’ McBride said. “That was last year. A lot of guys that played in that game are gone. I just think our kids were ready.’’

Two key plays in the first half helped Coppell take control:

*With Arlington threatening to erase a 7-0 deficit in the opening quarter, defensive back David Busby stepped in front of Arlington receiver Deron Davis for an end zone interception.

*Following a Coppell touchdown that made it 21-7 two minutes into the second period, McBride called for an onside kick which the Cowboys executed to perfection. Moments later, McDaniel scored the first of his two touchdowns (he finished with 148 rushing yards) for a 28-7 lead.

The teams combined for 41 points in a frenzied second quarter. Arlington, which used the big play for two of its touchdowns (59-yard run by Tavarreon Dickerson, 59-yard pass from Miles Onyegbule to Latrail Scott) was shut out in the second half.

“We told our defense at halftime to let go of the first half and start over,’’ McBride said. “We told them to go out like it was 15-0.’’

Asked which play he would remember the most, his touchdown passes or his touchdown run, Minden confirmed the latter.

“But I want to say the receivers did a great job catching and the line did a good job blocking,’’ the quarterback said. “They made it possible.’’

And with that final task completed, Minden headed to the bus.