'More prepared' Bru McCoy ready for second season on Rocky Top
In 2022, Bru McCoy was Tennessee’s second-leading receiver in terms of receptions (52) and yards (667). McCoy’s play routinely shined brightest in some of the 11-2 season’s biggest moments.
He hauled in his first touchdown as a Vol on a 32-yard strike from Hendon Hooker, a play that helped Tennessee outlast then-No.17 Pitt on the road in overtime. His late second quarter touchdown catch against Florida proved a pivotal piece of a momentum swing against the Gators. Then, he hauled in a 27-yard pass despite being sandwiched between two defenders to set up Chase McGrath’s game-winning field goal over Alabama to snap a 15 year losing streak.
Still, despite all of this, the former five-star recruit and USC transfer was not as prepared as he would have liked to have been entering last fall after transferring to Tennessee in May.
“I think when you take away, when you have a good understanding of the offense, which coming in last year, I didn’t have a good understanding, I had to learn on the go, once you know what you are doing, then you can handle the physical side and the mental side is kind of reactionary.”
Heading into this season, that is not the case, as McCoy feels like he is ready to go mentally and physically.
“Being more prepared this year, I was better able to focus on being in great shape, more technique, receiver stuff in that way,” Mccoy added on Tuesday at Tennessee’s media day prior to the opening of fall camp. “I think focusing more on playing the position, the technique and the little things that go into playing the game within the game. I have taken the off-season to be a better receiver and to improve my game.”
First-year Tennessee Offensive Coordinator Joey Halzle has noticed McCoy’s development this off-season as well.
“He’s done a great job,” Halzle told the media on Tuesday. “He’s completely changed his body from getting here. The guy is in amazing shape. He has such an intricate knowledge of what we’re doing and how we’re trying to accomplish it now. It’s kind of like I said with Joe, it’s fun to watch him just go play now. And now a big strong fast guy is going and playing really strong and really fast. So it’s been great to see him once again not be a transfer that feels like they got everything figured out. ‘Hey coach, just tell me the plays and I’ll go play.’ Actually wanting to improve his himself, his skillset, all of that. And now you’re gonna see that once again. Like I feel like he’ll take another huge jump this year.”
McCoy will certainly have the chance to do just that as Tennessee replaces 2022 Biletnikoff winner Jalin Hyatt and fellow third-round NFL draft selection Cedric Tillman.
The question for the former USC tranfer, as he enters the season as a preseason all-conference selection (Athlon), is will he be the next man to ascend up the ladder at the receiver position in Tennessee’s offense.
With fall camp underway, and the first game of the season a month away, McCoy will look to continue to build on his 2022 campaign and strong off-season ahead of the season opener against Virginia in Nashville on September 2nd.
