Alabama has its rehabilitation program for college coaches. Tennessee could claim the same for receivers.
The Vols’ coaching staff tends to get the best out of wayward wideouts. That was readily apparent against Pittsburgh on Saturday when Jalin Hyatt caught 11 passes for 73 yards against the Panthers.
It was a statement game for Hyatt, who got lost in the shuffle last season while Velus Jones and Cedric Tillman became the go-to guys in Tennessee’s up-tempo offense. Why was Hyatt a non-factor? He placed the blame on himself before the 2022 season began.
“Last year, it was hard on me,” Hyatt said during preseason camp. “I lost my confidence, didn’t really know it (the playbook) as well as this year. Wasn’t going as hard last year.”
UT head coach Josh Heupel said Hyatt exemplifies what Tennessee’s football program is all about. Work hard and good things will happen.
“Huge symbol of the things that we talk about paying off,” Heupel said. “You guys heard me talk about (former defensive back) Theo Jackson a lot last year and how mature he was and how he competed, and it resulted in the way that he played.”
That worked for Jackson. He was selected in the sixth round of the NFL Draft after being just another guy on Tennessee’s roster before Heupel arrived.
“Jalin, in the back third of last year, and certainly this entire offseason is just a different individual in the way that he approaches every day and his process to getting himself to be ready to play during the course of a game week and all offseason,” Heupel said.
“Those examples go a lot further than me just talking about something inside of the team meeting room. Everybody inside of our program, talking about our players, can see the difference in that guy. You guys, when you see him walking down the hallway, can see the difference in him too.”
No one needs to be in UT’s hallways to see that Tennessee’s coaching staff can revive a struggling career. Receiver Bru McCoy may be the ultimate example. He transferred from Southern California and is already making an impact. McCoy had four catches for 58 yards and a touchdown against Pitt, along with three receptions for 42 yards in the season-opening win against Ball State.
Why have things worked out for McCoy?
“He cares,” Heupel said. “I think that’s the number one thing. He’s in the building. From the moment he stepped foot inside of Knoxville, he’s been in our building. He’s constantly working to get better and understanding who he is as a player, what we do offensively, how to play efficiently with our communication system, how to get lined up and attack defenses. All of that is a big part of it.
“The competitiveness, the competitive drive that he has is a big part of why he spends that extra time in here. When you see him on the football field and the way that he competes, he’s highly competitive, he’s strong, and you can see that (UT quarterback Hendon Hooker) trusts him too, and we trust him as a staff.”
Hyatt and McCoy aren’t the only receivers to pull their college careers from the dredges. Velus Jones did so last season after transferring from Southern California. You can also add JaVonta Payton to the list of players that Tennessee’s program has saved.
Payton transferred from Mississippi State to become one of the best big-play receivers in the country. His 22.9-yards per catch last season led the SEC.
Looking to catch a pass or two and rejuvenate your career? Tennessee is worth taking a look at.
