Bru is back: Bru McCoy details decision for one more year at Tennessee

Tennessee has one of its best leaders back for the 2024 season. Bru McCoy announced his intentions to return for another season on Rocky Top and set down with Volquest to detail his journey back from a season ending ankle injury.

“After being injured this season, I visited the idea of going to the next level and I got good feed back ultimately but what it boiled down to was the opportunity that Tennessee provides and the culture there and things we have accomplished thus far,” McCoy said. “I’m excited about the direction we are headed in and the opportunity as an individual to learn and grow but as far as the team, I’m most excited to see what we can accomplish together.”

Before Tennessee played in the Citrus Bowl, McCoy called Josh Heupel and Kelsey Pope to tell them the good news.

“They were excited and just as excited as I am,” McCoy said. “I think more than anything we are just glad we get the opportunity to do something because we all see that there is something special we could do in the next year. This next year, even this year I thought we had a chance to win the SEC and make a run at it. I think this next year we have and even better chance. There is just excitement because everyone wants to go live that dream out.”

McCoy suffered a season ending and career threatening ankle dislocation during the South Carolina game in September. The following months were filled with doubt, hard work and gratification.

“It was a less than ideal circumstance as you can imagine,” McCoy said. “I try not to get to down about it and worry about it to much. I look at it objectively and I went through injuries before but none this significant. The rehab became very important to me and it was something I was able to pour myself into and kept me occupied. I do want to take the opportunity to thank all the people in Tennessee. I feel like I never got the chance to thank them for helping my injury. All the nurses, doctors and I got to extend all the greatest thank you’s because without them I wouldn’t have the opportunity to play the game again.

“From a rehab standpoint, a lot of the bigger stepping stones from a traumatizing injury like this I have already surpassed. As far as ankle mobility and strength. So where I’m at now is pushing toward football functional movement and being able to relearn how to do things. When you add metal into the body, your body has to learn how to adjust so I’m just learning how to be the same athlete if not better. Just with some extra metal in there to keep my strong.”

So what is he bringing back to the wide receiver room? It’s more than just a veteran pass catcher.

“I would say leadership and experience,” McCoy said. “I take pride in being a really good teammate and being there for my guys. As far as a playmaker, I think where I show up a lot is blocking and being able to extend plays for the running backs and quarterback’s scrambling out of the backfield. As far as pass catching, I pride myself on making tough physical catches down the field.”

McCoy is pumped about the new direction at quarterback. He and Joe Milton got a long well but catching balls from a fellow Californian in Nico Iamaleava is something he can’t wait to do.

“There is a certain familiarity you feel with someone when they are from the same area as you,” McCoy said. “With him, we already have this preexisting relationship being far from home and from the same area. There aren’t too many California guys in East Tennessee. From a football standpoint, we come from a similar football background. We know the brand of football that the foundation we were built on just from our childhood background. I can’t dang wait to play with him. I think he is an unreal talent. I’m excited to dig into this thing with him because I think we have a lot of potential.”