Josh Heupel explains what makes Bru McCoy such a special player
Bru McCoy’s trip to Tennessee was a strange one. The class of 2019 wideout was one of the top recruits in the entire country coming out of high school. A five-star player and the No. 19 overall player in the class, per the On3 Consensus. After stints at Texas and USC didn’t work out, McCoy found his new home at Tennessee.
Two games into the season, he’s already up to 100 yards receiving and just caught his first touchdown in orange in the Pittsburgh game. At last, the former blue-chip wide receiver is putting it together and performing on the field. After his performance vs. Pitt, UT head coach Josh Heupel raved about McCoy and the work he’s put in.
“He cares. I think that’s the No. 1 thing. He’s been in the building from the moment since he stepped inside of Knoxville. He’s been in our building, he’s constantly working to get better and understanding who he is as a player. What we do offensively, how to play efficiently with our communication system. How to get lined up and attack defenses.”
“All of that, I think, is a big part of it. The competitiveness, the competitive drive that he has, is a big part of why he spends that extra time in here. And when you see him on the football field, in the way that he competes, he’s highly competitive, he’s strong, and obviously, you can see Hendon trusts him too. And we trust him as a staff.”
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Hard work, and extra work, pays off big time for McCoy. Josh Heupel sure saw it coming.
WATCH: Bru McCoy scores first touchdown as a Vol
McCoy brought Volunteers within a field goal of Pitt in the second quarter when he reeled in a 32-yard touchdown, his first as a Vol. Isolated in single coverage down the left sideline, McCoy beat out his man and quarterback Hendon Hooker located him in the endzone for the score.
It wasn’t without a minor controversy. McCoy stepped out of bounds running his route, but he was forced out by the Pitt defender. A challenge by Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi was to no avail and McCoy’s first score as a Tennessee Volunteer held up, cutting Pitt’s lead to 17-14.
Check it out.