'A loss of words': What Josh Heupel, Joe Milton said after Bru McCoy's injury vs. South Carolina
Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III put the devastation of Bru McCoy’s leg injury into context late Saturday night, after the Vols beat South Carolina 41-20 at Neyland Stadium. For a moment, the redshirt senior didn’t want to keep playing.
“I truly honestly didn’t want to go back out there no more,” Milton said during his postgame press conference, “just because I know how hard he works and I knew how hard — it is a loss of words pretty much.”
McCoy was carted off the field after suffering a gruesome lower-leg injury with 6:16 left in the first half, while Tennessee was leading 17-10. Milton completed a pass to McCoy for 18 yards before he went down.
Trainers immediately brought the cart onto the field for the injury to McCoy’s right leg, as McCoy covered his face with his hands. He left Neyland Stadium in an ambulance after being carted off the field.
Josh Heupel: ‘I hate it for him’
“Hate what happened to Bru,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said after the game. “We’ll have a more of an update tomorrow or on Monday I’m sure, but everybody saw it. (It) was (a) lower body injury that didn’t look good. So I hate it for him.”
The Vols entered the game shorthanded at wide receiver with Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton not dressed. Redshirt freshmen Kaleb Webb and Chas Nimrod were forced into playing time last week in the 45-14 win over UTSA after McCoy and Ramel Keyton left the game with apparent injuries.
Both McCoy and Keyton started Saturday night for Tennessee against South Carolina.
Squirrel White led Tennessee in receiving against the Gamecocks, catching nine passes on nine targets for 104 yards, including 35 yards after contact. Tight end Jacob Warren caught three passes for 26 yards and a touchdown.
Keyton caught two passes for 25 yards and redshirt freshman Chas Nimrod had one catch for 10 yards.
Up Next: Tennessee vs. Texas A&M, October 14, Neyland Stadium
Milton finished 21 of 32 passing for 239 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. The Vols rushed 40 times as a team for 238 yards and three touchdowns, led by Jaylen Wright’s 16 attempts for 123 yards.
Jabari Small had 11 carries for 59 yards and Dylan Sampson had nine carries for 49 yards. All three running backs had one rushing touchdown each.
McCoy entered Saturday night’s game leading the Vols in receptions with 15 for 196 yards and a touchdown. He had two catches for 21 yards before the injury against South Carolina.
“There’s nobody better than him. Great teammate, great leader, tough as they come. Works extremely hard to be his best and make sure his teammates do that too.”
