The former five-star recruit has been in Los Angeles at USC for the last three years but decided to enter the transfer portal in January. "This went on for months," Bru says. Runs well enough to get behind a defense, makes the tough catch look routine and can do something with the ball in his hands after the catch as well. That meant the world to Bru: to be loved, to be seen. College Football HQ rated McCoy as the No. Bru had arrived at USC in good shape but began to feel beyond drained after every workout. Unique two-way player with a high projection at receiver or outside linebacker. Is also a tremendous blocker and plays with incredible effort. Whilethe Los Angeles district attorney declined to press charges, USC suspended McCoy in August from team activities and he never returned to the field. The former five-star recruit did not suit up for the Trojans this year following an. They knew how young he was, how much he tried to follow his gut. And it was frustrating, not being able to answer when people asked him: What's wrong with you? But he appeared to be the odd man out in a tight rotation at wide receiver. It bothered all of them that people said he ran from competitionnot only because Bru was arguably the best receiver at Texas, but also because he was leaving for USC, a place known for producing top-tier receivers. McCoy came away convinced that he would thrive in Heupels system and enjoy playing for Tennessees coaches. The issue of Bru's eligibility ultimately rests with the . Theyre fired up. "He was in eighth grade, and he was a Division I player to me," says Darryl Lance Johnson, who has coached dozens of Division I players in his 40-year career and coached Bru throughout his childhood. Big, strong and physical as a wideout with good hands and high-level body control. (0:30). His fever finally went down. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press) After a lost season that began with . The former five-star recruit did notsuit upfor the Trojans this year following an offseason arrest for a felony domestic violence charge. Right now, there's a lot of uncertainty with McCoy's off-the-field situation. Bru McCoy reels in a short touchdown on fourth down for USC vs. Oregon. That's up from 1,692 in 2019-20 and 1,717 in 2018-19. Outstanding pass rusher who combines an explosive first step to get the edge with the power to bull rush a tackle or change direction and flashes a quick move to the inside. Somebody's son. The internet was not some abstract place, something that shut off once he closed his laptop. AUGUST 23 . Then the strength staff left. I just found myself finding value in the wrong things when I was making my decision. Shelby woke him up every day at 5 a.m., making him egg-and-cheese burritos or bacon-and-egg bagel sandwiches, and he'd be out of the door by 5:45 a.m., in time to lift weights in Orange County by 7 a.m. The more the name was sullied, the more the person didn't seem real. Among the 14 were star-crossed wide receivers Bru McCoy and Jake Smith, both of whom transferred out, running backs Kenyatta Watson II and Derrian Brown, and linebacker De'Gabriel Floyd, whose career was hampered by injury. Linebacker Aaron Willis, quarterback Kaidon Salter, athlete Kaemen Marley, running back Tiyon Evans, offensive lineman William Parker and tight ends Julian Nixon, Miles Campbell and Trinity Bell also have left. A doctor suggested it may have been a virus that was no longer present but still couldn't determine what he had. Where he plays in college will be interesting as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a 3-4 outside backer. If you drop a pass, catch a pass, it doesn't matter. He missed his entire true freshman campaign with an illness before making his debut in a COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign. McCoy had entered the college football transfer portal for a third time in January. Now, he comes to a Volunteers offense that ranked top 10 in college football a year ago and features Hendon Hooker as one of the SEC's most efficient quarterbacks. He felt that what he needed to do was more important than the potential backlash he knew he would receive. He didn't have enough physical strength to stand on the sideline for games, which was interpreted by some as his not being a team player. #4 Pos: WR Ht: 6026 Wt: 220 40: 4.67 DOB: 6/22/2000 Hometown: Palos Verdes, CA High School: Mater Dei Eligibility: 2023. To teenagers firing off insults about him late into the night on Instagram. Get away!'" From talking to Chase and Velus, it just piqued my interest, McCoy said. Shelby McCoy remembers being stopped at the supermarket. Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports was the first to report. We watched a practice and just saw how the players and coaches interact on and off the field. Bru McCoy hauls in his final TD with USC (0:30), USC receiver McCoy back in portal for third time, Breaking down the latest in 2024 football recruiting, from top commits to March visits, The Turnover Luck Index: Rating every 2022 team, from USC to Rutgers, ACC boss: Rule changes backed by FBS leaders, Stoops: QB Leary (pec) 'close to full go' for UK, Hall of Fame coach Ault named to CFP committee, Top draft prospect Carter charged in fatal crash, New NCAA president readies for NIL, legal issues, Ex-Vols staffers agree to show-cause penalties, UNC hires ex-Browns HC Kitchens as assistant, Kiper's updated NFL mock draft: Who's moving up for a QB? 13transfer wide receiver for the 2022 cycle. They care about their players. A body that didn't go where they wanted it to. Bru was always on his way somewhere. USC wide receiver Bru McCoy has entered the football transfer portal for the third time. This is his third time entering the portal; leaving USC originally in 2019 due to Kliff Kingsbury leaving the Trojans, and then transferring right back a few months later due to homesickness. "Do you play Call of Duty? To strangers. When Alexa was learning to ride a bike at age five, a three-year-old Bru asked for one tooneeding to be better at riding than her. But he felt distanced, different. The positive feedback he received about the Vols from former USC teammates McGrath and Jones, who was back in Knoxville for Tennessees pro day during McCoys visit, helped the Vols emerge as one of the favorites to land him. Merrill, a sophomore and former Brentwood standout, was a productive backup with eight catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns this season. Schumann returning to Georgia, Transfer portal tracker: Breaking down options for top players, Football recruiting class rankings: Deion Sanders, Lincoln Riley land key prospects. When he bikes, alone with his thoughts and the hills, he realizes he has gained something this past year so much more valuable than any game or accolade: He knows who he is now. Just down. when he'd walk by. Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick. The Los Angeles district attorney's office, USCs Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity and Title IX opened an investigation. After reading, he closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and a voice pops into his head. So he didn't talk about it, remembering something his grandfather, Horace McCoy Sr., told him often, starting back when he was in ninth grade. McCoy has re-entered the transfer portal, opening the door for what would be a shocking return to Southern California, according to Greg Biggins of 247 Sports. 0:53. January 13, 2022, 8:39 PM. "I can't blame them either way," he says. "I was embarrassed, honestly," Bru says. During the 2021 season and the following off-season, the Tennessee football team lost 18 players to the transfer portal. He researches random topics and often pulls over when he sees a homeless person to give them money. "It's no excuse, but I was 18. Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Facebook | Twitter. The dentist. No matter what anyone said about him as an offensive player, as a defensive player, he was still their son. ", "Mom," Bru said. McCoy was a candidate for a breakout season with the Trojans in 2021, but he was suspended for the entire season following a domestic-violence arrest in July and was never reinstated. McCoy said he informed the Vols of his decision in late March before the end of his official visit toKnoxville. Signing to USC was one of the best days of his life. 0:04. he'd ask himself. Transfer portal here we come Reply JG8AB9TL11OBJ12AD13 Florida . ], I want to thank God, my coaches and Vol Nation for a great two years in Knoxville, Merrill posted on Twitter. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy is setto officially join the Vols this month to attend May mini-session classes, giving them a veteran wide receiver capable of helping them replace former starters Jonesand JaVonta Payton. So what's really going on with <b>Bru. After a lost season that began with his arrest and temporary removal from USCs football team, Bru McCoy has entered the NCAA transfer portal, ending a tumultuous three-year tenure with the Trojans. Plays the run very well and is comfortable in space or dropping back in to coverage. Alexa McCoy heard it at parties at her college. A player is free to take his name out of the portal at any time. But finding out, the day after he enrolled in classes, that Trojan offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury was leaving to coach the Arizona Cardinals, was jarring. It could come down to a. High school games. "Hey, Mom, meet Mike, the guy who was making those comments. Ryan Kartje is the USC beat writer at the Los Angeles Times. Bru remembers asking Kingsbury numerous times at his home during the recruiting process if he was going to go to the NFL. So he bikes. 1:09. Follow her on Twitter: @MirinFader. Until he had put himself into a different environment, like so many other students who attend a school and change their mind and transfer. That increase can at least partially be credited to the NCAA's new policy that student-athletes are allowed to transfer once in their careers without having to sit out a year-in-residence. However, schools are under no obligation to keep a player on scholarship once they enter the portal. In fact, there was a time in 2019 where Smart had four of his players arrested in just the last month. The Ole Bru McCoy special. The district attorneys office declined to file charges against McCoy last August, citing insufficient evidence. But USC continued to investigate, and McCoy ultimately never returned to the football field. And he yearns to compete, to prove to those people who don't trust him and haven't forgiven him that he is still the player he was. Where he plays in college will be interesting as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a 3-4 outside backer. Can the Lions fix their defense? That decision has helped transform the game of college football by giving players an easier opportunity to change teams and direct their playing careers. He wanted to be Reggie Bush, so he wore No. We talked about this, not answering people.". USC wide receiver Bru McCoy runs the ball during the 2020 Pac-12 championship game against Oregon. There were 2,646 FBS players to enter the transfer portal during the 2020-21 transfer cycle, per a source. "People dehumanized me," says Bru, now back at USC and planning to play for the Trojans as a redshirt freshman whenever college football resumes. He took eight classes his senior year, all during the season (students regularly take six). NFL draft questions for teams in the top 10: Will the Colts trade up? "I've never steered you wrong in my life," Bru remembers his dad telling him. It could come down to a bunch of schools, and we don't REALLY know what McCoy wants. He appeared in six games for USC in 2020,. Genuinely happy. It was right before practice, so it was like, Aw, dang, buddy, but like, Lets go! he said, recalling the reaction of Tennessees coaches. There were 2,646 FBS players to enter the transfer portal during the 2020-21 transfer cycle, per a source. Uiagalelei. He appeared in six games for USC in 2020, totaling 21 receptions, 236. Merrill is the third reserve wide receiver to enter the portal, joining Jimmy Calloway and Jimmy Holiday. All picks and predictions are suggestions only. "I thought I was going to die. He was ultracompetitive, just like his parents, especially Shelby, a 5'6" All-American volleyball player at Northern Illinois whose coach sometimes had to tell her to dial it back when she approached fun practice drills like they were matches. As a baby, he was just a bruiser, bouncing around, learning to flip out of his crib at eight months. It was one of the hardest things he'd ever done. McCoy is the third USC football player in the last two seasons to leave amid an investigation or university disciplinary review. "It's a familiar situation: I gotta prove myself." That he was more than his transfers, his skills on the field. - Led Mater Dei to two consecutive CIF and state titles in his junior and senior seasons. McCoy, a former five-star recruit in 2019, spent three years with USC but played just six games. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. "He only knows to go as hard as he can possibly go at all times.". "Haters are really just haters on social media, but they're really fans that don't want to say they're fans. He'd watch Bush highlights before his Pop Warner games. The recruiting saga of 2019 five-star receiver Bru McCoy keeps on getting weirder. Bru McCoy leaving USC and entering NCAA transfer portal Jan. 13, 2022 According to the DPS incident report, she arrived at McCoy's residence Jan. 12 around 9 p.m. to return his. Bru McCoy was in a bad frame of mind as he battled a mysterious illness. As a redshirt freshman in 2020, McCoy caught 21 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns in six games. Outstanding pass rusher who combines an explosive first step to get the edge with the power to bull rush a tackle or change direction and flashes a quick move to the inside. They saw his competitiveness. Tennessee finished Heupel's second season ranked sixth by The Associated Press college football poll, the Vols' highest finish since 2001. And after a visit to Knoxville in late March, McCoy made his commitment to Tennessee Football on Tuesday night. So I came in with just an open mind completely. "I put so much into him leaving, for what? McCoy is already listed in the Tennessee student directory, which is a positive sign and one step . He likes to read books, like the one currently on his nightstand next to his bed: The Mindful Athlete by George Mumford. And then, on the field, obviously the scheme offensively fits the type of player I am, so its a wholesome you know, everythings clicking.. He has always been tough. A coach he had never even been coached by. Comments that he was indecisivea flippant kid with no respect for his word, though college coaches come and go as they please, making millions as they doburned him too. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy transferred to Tennessee from USC. "I had to kind of come to terms with myself," he says. This past year, he's had to look through himself. Outstanding pass rusher who combines an explosive first step to get the edge with the power to bull rush a tackle or change direction and flashes a quick move to the inside. When Bru told his parents he wanted to go back to USC, he was sure of his decision. No matter what anyone said about him outside their home, he was supported when he was inside those walls. He would sweat so profusely in his sleep that he'd have to flip over his mattress each day. Three trades in a chaotic top five, The new law changing service academy football, and the coaches pushing back, Realignment chatter: How the Pac-12 holds the key to it all. They found him. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, Alabama, Conquered: How Kirby Smart, Georgia Finally Broke Through to Win It All, What Nick Saban Told Kirby Smart After Title Game, College Football Way-Too-Early Top 25 for 2022, Get Sports Illustrated's Georgia Championship Commemorative Issue. Then there was speculation that coach Clay Helton could be fired. McCoy, an ESPN top-30 recruit in 2019, entered the transfer portal in January, committed to Tennessee in May and has been practicing with the team as he awaits an eligibility decision from the NCAA. He'd wake up at 6 a.m., walk to the training facility to get his temperature taken, find it was still over 100, walk back to his apartment and try to sleep on his stiff leather couch, sweating the rest of the day. Strangers on social media forgot he was a human being. He participated in spring practices there before eventually transferring back to USC in June. That what I put myself through wasn't for nothing.". My best take on where he lands hits on three specific schools. In late August, the district attorneys office decided not to file charges, saying that it had insufficient evidence. The Bru McCoy Transfer Saga Is Uncharted Territory in the NCAA The craziest story of the college football season has been the transfers of Bru McCoy, who looks set to wind up at USC after. Her work has been honored by the Associated Press Sports Editors, the U.S. Basketball Writers Association, the Football Writers Association of America, the Los Angeles Press Club and the Best American Sports Writing series. According to the Los Angeles Times, the former USC star tried to cast doubt on her credibility, . In August, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office declined to file criminal charges against McCoy. It took a one-on-one meeting with USC coach Clay Helton to help McCoy turn a corner. A mysterious illness left McCoy unable to join the team for most of the next year. August 22, 2022 8:24 am ET Wide receiver Bru McCoy committed to Tennessee in May. Players do not need to ask permission from their coaching staff in order to transfer. A big one was the culture at Tennessee. Hooker attended James B. Dudley High School in Greensboro, North Carolina. 6 overall player available in the transfer portal at the time of his announcement. The wide receiver didn't play for the Trojans a year ago, but did appear in six games during the 2020 season. And no matter how much the 5-star receiver tried to not read the comments, he couldn't escape them. He'd attend class and practice for the rest of the day, having double responsibilities as a two-way player, not coming home until 9 at night. He was a highly sought-after recruit who had been in the national spotlight since he was 14, never allowed to falter. The next couple of days: 102, 101, 101. Kingsbury wasn't lying, technically; the offer wasn't made to him yet, but Bru couldn't shake feeling betrayed. Heres how to order today! Perry, a third-year sophomore, played in all 13 games this season, mostly on special teams. That means all players who enter the transfer portal for the first time will be immediately eligible at their new school as long as they meet a NCAA mandated entry deadline. "I remember being this hungry," he says. All I'm saying is that it's simply possible that Georgia will be more willing to look past that than some other schools. Capture the thrills of Tennessee football's epic 2022 season with our special newbook. To 45-year-old men on Twitter he'd never met in states he'd never visited. I don't think anyone at 18 really has it all figured out." He heard good things about the Vols from a couple of his former Southern Cal teammates who have transferred to play at Tennessee, wide receiverVelus Jones Jr. and kickerChase McGrath, and the Vols were searching for a receiver capable of making an immediate impact on their offense. 5 his entire career. 'With the choices I've made? After all that people have said about her son, he still believes people can be good. The shift was sharp, swift but unsurprising. she thought. According to ESPN, McCoy . Content with who he is but not yet where he wants to be. A coach who had come to his games and had dinner with his family a few times but who, for the most part, didn't really know him. And I think he found that joy of playing the game, being around the guys and finding himself.". Go as hard as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a baby, was. Mind as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a redshirt freshman in 2020, there before transferring. 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