BREAKING: #Texas WR Bru McCoy just informed the Longhorns coaching staff moments ago he plans to transfer out of Austin and will enter the transfer portal, McCoy's statement below pic.twitter.com . Just football and academics.". The Mystery of Bru McCoy He was the top athlete in the 2019 recruiting class, then transferred twice and missed time with an illness no one could explain. In fact, there was a time in 2019 where Smart had four of his players arrested in just the last month. One minute he was playing in the All-American Bowl. And while his legal issues were resolved last August, his path to playing football again remains unclear. A coach he had never even been coached by. But others were not as understanding. Some were very welcoming, happy he had returned, he says, and others were not. "Quiet in the storm.". "This went on for months," Bru says. To recap: McCoy enrolled early at USC in January, only to transfer to Texas after reportedly becoming . 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. USC wide receiver Bru McCoy runs the ball during the 2020 Pac-12 championship game against Oregon. So while most of the sport's high-profile transfers have already committed, here is a look at the top 10 uncommitted transfers following Sunday's portal deadline. His family didn't understand at first. In the spring of 2019, McCoy, the top-ranked athlete in his recruiting class, enrolled early at USC after graduating from Mater Dei High School. 26/02/2023 | pictures of richard thomas triplets today | borax for chipmunks | pictures of richard thomas triplets today | borax for chipmunks I just want you to be happy.' They felt he had turned his back on them. Some people were understandingkind, even. He was on FaceTime. They saw his competitiveness. He had the size, the speed. 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. He's passionate about social justice, world issues and travel. Transfer portal here we come Reply JG8AB9TL11OBJ12AD13 Florida . "It was literally nothing to do with anything with Texas. At first, he was diagnosed with strep throat, but the fevers grew inconsistent. She found that her son had responded to a negative comment that read: "Bru is a nobody. 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. Alexa McCoy heard it at parties at her college. Since, Bru McCoy has wholeheartedly disavowed the allegations. In a lot of ways, Bru feels like he felt during freshman year of high school, when he didn't know what would happen, taking a leap of faith to attend Mater Dei. - Named the 2018 MaxPreps National Football Player of the Year and the 2019 All-American Bowl Player of the Year. To the media. 0:04. But his body wouldn't allow him. Nick Saban was FaceTiming him at school. He's chastised himself for his choice. It didnt take long for Bru McCoy to set his sights on Tennessee after he added his name to the NCAA transfer portal in January. That he still, indeed, isa 6'3", 220-pound two-way player who thrives off physicality, approaching every play with a defensive mindset. 6 overall player available in the transfer portal at the time of his announcement. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. During the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, McCoy caught 21 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns in six games while playing in a USC receiving corps that included a 2021 fourth-round NFL draft pick in Amon-Ra St. Brown, a 2022 first-round NFL draft pick in Drake London and another receiver in Tyler Vaughns who spent the 2021 season on an NFL practice squad. But he felt distanced, different. Where he plays in college will be interesting as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a 3-4 outside backer. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Roundtable: Our March Madness projections for UCLA, USC and others. But just weeks later, after new offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left suddenly to be the coach of the NFLs Arizona Cardinals, McCoy decided to transfer to Texas. "Unique two-way player with a high projection at receiver or outside linebacker. He was still trying to figure it out. If you drop a pass, catch a pass, it doesn't matter. He wanted to be around a positive culture in a great learning environment with players who want to be there and it just felt like home for Bru right away.. I'm only 19 now. 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. Bru thought it was silly, bragging about 35 offers when there were hardworking kids who had none. We met the players and the entire coaching staff and everything they talked up lined up when we saw them in action. ATLANTA Southern Cal transfer wide receiver Bru McCoy is not yet eligible to play for Tennessee this season, Vols coach Josh Heupel said at SEC Media Days on Thursday. Then he began sweating uncontrollably. In August, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office declined to file criminal charges against McCoy. "This was completely my fault, but I think that when I got to SC, I started taking things more personal than I should have," he says. He had been loved, then hated. SC didn't do me right.' For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. 2023 ABG-SI LLC. "Haters are really just haters on social media, but they're really fans that don't want to say they're fans. Bru McCoy Tennessee Volunteers 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 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. Bru McCoy should lose his eligibility for being such a flake. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy transferred to Tennessee from USC. As a baby, he was just a bruiser, bouncing around, learning to flip out of his crib at eight months. He appeared in six games for USC in 2020, totaling 21 receptions, 236. Others found him on LinkedIn to threaten death to his son. Your team is losing. Its time to go to work, though.. He just signed the papers in his school's library and then called Helton and told him how proud he was to be a Trojan. "He's always trying to dominate," says Keary Colbert, wide receivers coach. USC wide receiver Bru McCoy runs the ball during the 2020 Pac-12 championship game against Oregon. "Everybody has an opinion, and there was no being right.". Big, strong and physical as a wideout with good hands and high-level body control. During the 2020 season, he recorded 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. "I didn't really have a sense of self-identity," he says. I'm not trying to imply that Smart is some bad guy or anything like that, but it's true that Georgia has not had the cleanest record when it comes to signing players with off-the-field questions. But he wasn't other students. Theyre genuinely invested in their players and their players success on and off the field, said McCoy, a four-star transfer prospect whos ranked by 247Sports as the No. Wide receiver Walker Merrill and offensive lineman R.J. Perry became the eighth and ninth Tennessee football players to enter the transfer portal from the 2022 team. Then there was speculation that coach Clay Helton could be fired. McCoy, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder, was a five-star prospect and the No. He didn't hold a press conference on signing day. Merrill's exit also means that nine of Tennessees 10 highest-rated signees in the 2021 class, the last under fired coach Jeremy Pruitt, will no longer be on the team. 1. So he bikes. Is also a tremendous blocker and plays with incredible effort. The recruiting saga of 2019 five-star receiver Bru McCoy keeps on getting weirder. There were aunts, uncles and his grandfathers, Horace Sr. and Tom Snyder, the latter of whom had to force little Bru inside to eat when all he wanted to do at age eight was dunk on a 4-foot rim ("He was always looking for his next challenge," Snyder says). And, watching, Horace realized something about his son: "He isn't a boy anymore. All Rights Reserved. ", "I have to act. The wide receiver didn't play for the Trojans a year ago, but did appear in six games during the 2020 season. Everyone is upset with you. A player is free to withdraw his name at any time. Couldn't stop the comments, the posts. - Father Horace played football at Northern Illinois - Mother Shelby was All-American volleyball player at Northern Illinois. But he felt sad inside. USC WR Bru McCoy has entered the NCAA transfer portal, @latimes can confirm. There was Ava, his younger sister, who battled him one-on-one on the basketball court, as he guarded her hard. So what's really going on with <b>Bru. Here's 247Sports' high school evaluation of McCoy out of Mater Dei High School in California. 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? Its an unbelievable staff, McCoy told GoVols247 before publicly revealing his decision. He was an athlete. 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. More hills, more miles. Until he had put himself into a different environment, like so many other students who attend a school and change their mind and transfer. christopher henderson footballer wait times university hospital. McCoy, who has three remaining seasons of eligibility, said he chose Tennessee because of itsdevelopment at wide receiver and his opportunity to make an immediate impactin coachJosh Heupels fast-paced, high-scoring offense. A body that didn't go where they wanted it to. What the hell is your brother doing? That's up from 1,692 in 2019-20 and 1,717 in 2018-19.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. Let's go back in the time machine a bit. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press) After a lost season that began with . WR Bru McCoy brings explosive catch-and-run ability to Tennessee 3 247Sports Transfer Portal Crystal Ball Prediction: Chris Hummer says Tennessee gets WR Bru McCoy See all videos H.S.. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press) After a lost season that began with his arrest and. Big, strong and physical as a wideout with good hands and high-level body control. 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. 1:09. And all three plan to return next season. Genuinely happy. The internet was not some abstract place, something that shut off once he closed his laptop. He attended a family wedding, feeling confused as ever. 9 overall player in the 2019 class. He missed his entire true freshman campaign with an illness before making his debut in a COVID-19-shortened 2020 campaign. 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 didn't owe anyone his pain, his story. #4 Pos: WR Ht: 6026 Wt: 220 40: 4.67 DOB: 6/22/2000 Hometown: Palos Verdes, CA High School: Mater Dei Eligibility: 2023. August 22, 2022 8:24 am ET Wide receiver Bru McCoy committed to Tennessee in May. Wide receiver Bru McCoy, a Southern Cal transfer and former five-star recruit, has committed to Tennessee. Youve got to make your own opinion. Remembers receiving a Twitter direct message saying the NFL would never touch a headcase like her son and that she had raised a failure. I don't think anyone at 18 really has it all figured out." High school games. ', "I have something to prove to myself," Bru says. He was a highly sought-after recruit who had been in the national spotlight since he was 14, never allowed to falter. This community, the campus everything the way people treat each other here, it fits the type of person I am. How Tennessee football is approaching Bru McCoy amid eligibility uncertainty Bru McCoy transferred from Southern Cal to Tennessee in June after entering the transfer portal in January. The book talks about being present. We're playing Call of Duty! The pay increase features a $225,000 base salary with $8.725 million in supplemental pay. But you have to be quiet. He says he felt very hurried to get to school, feeling, at the time, that USC intentionally rushed him to get to campus and begin his first class so that his eligibility clock would startso that if he left, he would be classified as a transfer. 247: 90 #20 RB #23 in CA N/A Rivals: 5.9 #7 RB #11 in CA #129 overall Committed to Georgia Bulldogs on October 10, 2022 . Be here, in the now. Bruce Rollinson, Mater Dei's coach, would notice how Bru straightened his arms when he'd make a mistake, could see the frustration rising in him. In October 2019, his illness finally began to subside. "I'm 19," Bru said. What do I want out of my life? According to Bruce Feldman of Fox Sports, wide receiver recruit Bru McCoy who has already started taking classes at USCis in the NCAA transfer portal. 2022 College Football Transfer Portal 247Sports Home FB Rec FB Recruiting Home News Feed Team Rankings Commitments Decommitments Scheduled Commits Player Rankings Player Search Crystal Ball. Not until he explained why to them. LOS ANGELES, Calif. - Wide receiver Bru McCoy (4) of the USC Trojans warms up before the spring game at Los Angeles Coliseum on April 17, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. McCoy is the third USC football player in the last two seasons to leave amid an investigation or university disciplinary review. But in 2020, as he returned to full health, McCoy carved out a minor role in USCs passing attack, amassing 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He had an enormous amount of blood drawn. As soon as he got on, he zoomed off. He pickedUSC at the 2019 All-American Bowl and later enrolled in Los Angeles. When Bru told his parents he wanted to go back to USC, he was sure of his decision. They supported him, stepped aside. Hadnt planned any other visits, and its just like, Hey, lets come check it out and see if everything theyve said is true., And everything the coaches have been saying over the phone and everything, it was more than true.. The Ole Bru McCoy special. when Bru would ask why he had to do one more drill. McCoy showed plenty of promise that year, finishing with21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns across six games. No matter how much the family tried not to talk about football, it was there. Everything was moving so fast. McCoy, a former five-star recruit in 2019, spent three years with USC but played just six games. A mysterious illness left McCoy unable to join the team for most of the next year. Merrill is the third reserve wide receiver to enter the portal, joining Jimmy Calloway and Jimmy Holiday. See who he is without football. Time, distance, perspective, made him feel like two different people. He didn't feel he needed to explain himself. "What in the hell?" "I remember being this hungry," he says. Can the Lions fix their defense? 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. Signing to USC was one of the best days of his life. Hounded him. The 247 guys for every single site are so sick of this kid - it's insane. After all that people have said about her son, he still believes people can be good. Can McCoy, . CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Right before the championship game, he went into the center of the huddle, looked every teammate in the eye and yelled: "Big-time players make big-time plays. The Vols havent made any promises to McCoy, he said, about the role he might play once he arrives at Tennessee later this spring. Texas fans learned quickly how much of a headache this . "I was increasingly reclusive.". McCoy, who ranks as the No. Always there. Bru was always on his way somewhere. McCoy had entered the college football transfer portal for a third time in January. 2005-2023 CBS INTERACTIVE ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. McCoy has had a less than stellar path to Tennessee . The Los Angeles district attorney's office, USCs Office of Equity and Equal Opportunity and Title IX opened an investigation. Who could understand after all he had overcome, he was faced with this? He played four games at Mater Dei with a broken hand. She smiled. The NCAA introduced the transfer portal on Oct. 15, 2018, providing athletes a path to explore their options. And it was frustrating, not being able to answer when people asked him: What's wrong with you? Georgia in the past has been more lenient and accepting of players with off-the-field concerns. He participated in spring practices there before eventually transferring back to USC in June. 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. He trusts himself. It took a one-on-one meeting with USC coach Clay Helton to help McCoy turn a corner. Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick. Unique two-way player with a high projection at receiver or outside linebacker. Perry, a third-year sophomore, played in all 13 games this season, mostly on special teams. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time there," he says. After one workout, a trainer took his temperature. As a redshirt freshman in 2020, McCoy caught 21 passes for 236 yards and two touchdowns in six games. Bru was the same way. 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. McCoy said he informed the Vols of his decision in late March before the end of his official visit toKnoxville. When asked now to think of what he'd write,to try to define himself after all he's learned, he grows quiet. A big one was the culture at Tennessee. Let's go!". It could come down to a. In Tennessee's 31-14 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Bru McCoy, Squirrel White and Ramel Keyton started. 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. We're on the phone with Bru McCoy! But after former USC offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury left Los Angeles to become the head coach of the Arizona Cardinals, McCoy transferred to Texas. On the ride home, Horace looked back in the rearview mirror and caught Bru smiling wide: "Bet you won't call him Touchdown Tommy anymore. Theyre fired up. McCoy, 21, did not play a snap at USC this season after he was arrested in July on suspicion of violating California Penal Code Section 273.5(a), which covers domestic violence toward a spouse or other cohabitant. We don't care how many touchdowns you score. McCoy has had a turbulent ride beyond those transfers at USC. Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports was the first to report. A dominant outside receiving presence, he can create mismatches downfield and beat defenders with elite athleticism. They found him. A teenager. Once, as a 10-year-old, Bru was so ticked off that everyone in Palos Verdes called this kid on an opposing team "Touchdown Tommy" that he vowed to not let him score when they faced off. The next he was taking his physical on campus. 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. He took eight classes his senior year, all during the season (students regularly take six). USC wide receiver Bru McCoy entered the transfer portal on Thursday, according to multiple reports. The receiver officially entered the transfer portal on Thursday night, seeking a new start to his college. And no matter how much the 5-star receiver tried to not read the comments, he couldn't escape them. "I put so much into him leaving, for what? Column: 15 minutes of fame flies by. A coach he had pretty much a couple-week relationship with. According to the Los Angeles Times, the former USC star tried to cast doubt on her credibility, . And, to make matters worse, he was missing football. His stomach would rumble with excitement, with nerves, heading down the 405 each morning. He appeared in six games for USC in 2020,. Sometimes he struggled to keep his eyes open while they drove home on the 405 because he was so exhausted. Going back to USC, in the summer of 2019, Bru had to confront his former teammates. "I think Bru found his joy again," says Helton, who felt like he saw Bru finally take a breath. That meant the world to Bru: to be loved, to be seen. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. 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. And then, on the field, obviously the scheme offensively fits the type of player I am, so its a wholesome you know, everythings clicking.. Something was just off. Things dont just get handed to you, given to you. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns across six games. Truly sad. That's what one man said when Horace McCoy Jr. answered the phone. Ryan Kartje (@Ryan_Kartje) January 14, 2022. 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. You just gotta make it personal.". Let's also not forget that one of Georgia's QBs, JT Daniels, is a former teammate of McCoy's at both Mater Dei High School and USC. Mirin Fader is a staff writer for B/R Mag.