Tennessee receiver Bru McCoy had an offseason he’d just as soon forget. That caused some emotional memories to flow back when he returned to the field on Saturday.
You might have noticed that McCoy, who suffered a gruesome, season-ending leg injury in September last season, was a bit more demonstrative after one of his catches in the Vols’ 69-3 win over Chattanooga in the Tennessee’s season opener on Saturday. However, his return to full health was just part of the reason that McCoy was so impassioned against the Mocs.
“This is my first game since I lost my grandfather,” McCoy said on Saturday. “I made a very similar catch to the last game he got to see me play, so that came to mind. It jazzed me up.”
McCoy’s play should jazz up Tennessee’s coaches and fan base. McCoy is leaner this season, although he was already sporting an impressive physique before the 2023 season. Per one NFL source, McCoy was the Vols’ best NFL prospect headed into last fall. That has of course changed with defensive end James Pearce’s ascension up the NFL scouting charts. However, it’s still worth noting. Why? Because the Vols just don’t have another receiver with his unique blend of size, speed and power, but there’s more.
McCoy’s intensity is also what sets him apart. Aside from Tennessee’s offensive linemen, there might not be a better blocker on UT’s entire roster. McCoy takes pride in blocking downfield, which is a bit unusual for a receiver. That mindset was surely tested by his injury, but solidly instilled by his grandfather. Now, McCoy that is fully back to health, he knows exactly what his late grandfather would have thought about his play on Saturday.
“I can’t think of anybody that would have been more proud,” McCoy said. “When I was flown home to see him in the hospital, I took my boot off and took my first steps out of my boot when he got out of his hospital bed, so that was a cool moment that we had together.”
McCoy said he credits much of his success to his grandfather, Tom Snyder, who was a pretty darn good athlete in his own right. Snyder was a Hall of Fame baseball player at Pepperdine and played in the Major Leagues. He passed away after a battle with cancer in December. He’s still a man that McCoy strives to be more like everyday.
“I try to take after him the best I can,” McCoy said.
Forget about what McCoy did on Saturday, which included catching six passes for 89 yards against the Mocs. Not only did McCoy lose his grandfather and overcome the physical and mental hurdles of his injury, he also held a golf tournament to benefit the Huddles for Hearts Foundation that provides emergency heart resuscitation equipment to sports teams that couldn’t otherwise afford it.
McCoy is the perfect kind of leader for the Vols, who will eventually be led by quarterback Nico Iamaleava. However, he’s just a redshirt freshman. McCoy is a senior and clearly the leader of Tennessee’s offense for now and, likely, the remainder of the season. His grandfather would surely be proud of that – and everything else McCoy has accomplished during his offseason that he’ll never forget.
