Bru McCoy explains how highlight play reminded him of late grandfather

In his first game since suffering a season-ending injury against South Carolina, Bru McCoy made his presence known in Tennessee’s resounding win over Chattanooga on Saturday. He had six receptions for 89 yards, including a highlight-reel catch on a 37-yard connection with Nico Iamaleava.

But McCoy felt the presence of someone else when he made the play. It reminded him of the last time his grandfather watched him suit up.

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McCoy’s grandfather, Tom Snyder, passed away in December after a bout with cancer, just a few months after the Vols standout suffered a season-ending ankle injury. It made for an emotional moment for McCoy, who recalled the last time he made a catch like Saturday’s 37-yard reception as his grandpa looked on.

“This is my first game since I lost my grandfather,” McCoy said after the game. “I made a very similar catch in the last game he got to see me play. So that came to mind and it jazzed me up.”

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Snyder was a decorated college athlete, himself. He played baseball at Pepperdine and was selected in the MLB Draft, according to his obituary. Additionally, he served as a key voice for McCoy as he embarked on his own athletics journey.

“He was a heck of an athlete,” McCoy said. “He was a Hall of Famer at his college, Pepperdine. I try to take after him the best I can.”

As he reflected on the impact his grandfather had on him, McCoy recalled one of the key moments of his recovery. He went to the hospital to visit, and it marked the first time he walked without his boot. When he did, his grandpa got out of his bed.

It was a special memory for McCoy. His bond with Snyder was also part of the reason he returned to Tennessee for one final season, he previously said.

“I can’t think of anybody that would’ve been more proud,” McCoy said Saturday. “When I was flown home to see him in the hospital, I took my boot off and took my first steps out of my boot when he got out of his hospital bed. That was a cool moment that we had together.

“I give a lot of my credit to my success to him because of how he instilled a lot of values in sports and just how to be a man. I miss him a lot.”

It was all part of an emotional day for Bru McCoy, who made his first reception of the season early in the first quarter. That was his first catch in 11 months, and even he admitted it took a minute to process the moment.

“It was a little bit surreal, just re-going through everything,” McCoy said. “But I really enjoyed it, I soaked it in and once again, back out on the field, you get a good sweat going and you feel back at home.”