He was a 5-star, 247Sports' No. Schools are free to contact a player without restriction once their name appears in the portal. 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. Drew Mehringer is the Tight Ends Coach for the Oregon Ducks 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. McCoy dealt with some off-field issues and elected to transfer away from USC as it underwent a coaching change this offseason. There were a lot of factors that went in to his decision, McCoys father Horace said, via 247Sports. To recap: McCoy enrolled early at USC in January, only to transfer to Texas after reportedly becoming . McCoy had entered the college football transfer portal for a third time in January. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. But others were not as understanding. But he said he needed to see Tennessee for himself to verify what he had heard about the program, and he didnt come away disappointed. His breakout appeared imminent until his July arrest threw his future with USC into serious doubt. Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick.". 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. Former USC receiver Bru McCoy is transferring to Tennessee, he announced Tuesday on social media. In October 2019, his illness finally began to subside. And while his legal issues were resolved last August, his path to playing football again remains unclear. He has always been tough. Some people were understandingkind, even. But he wasn't other students. ', "I have something to prove to myself," Bru says. "Do you play Call of Duty? And I think he found that joy of playing the game, being around the guys and finding himself.". Somebody who had worked his entire life to play college football. He trusts himself. Merrill, a sophomore and former Brentwood standout, was a productive backup with eight catches for 116 yards and three touchdowns this season. No one should expect to make money from the picks and predictions discussed on this website. During the 2020 season, he recorded 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. He didn't hold a press conference on signing day. "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. "It's no excuse, but I was 18. (Ashley Landis / Associated Press) After a lost season that began with his arrest and. He just wanted to play, to shut everyone up about the transfers. Strangers on social media forgot he was a human being. - Led Mater Dei to two consecutive CIF and state titles in his junior and senior seasons. His fever finally went down. The answer was always no. His family didn't understand at first. According to 247Sports' composite. Im fired up. Capture the thrills of Tennessee football's epic 2022 season with our special newbook. Always there. 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. The recruiting saga of 2019 five-star receiver Bru McCoy keeps on getting weirder. He used to feel uncomfortable in high school when his friends would shout "All-American!" McCoy, one of the most ballyhooed recruits in years, played only one full season with the Trojans. Rankings for the 2023 NFL draft: Top prospects at every position from Kiper, McShay, Miller, Reid, Kiper's new Big Board rankings for the 2023 NFL draft: Top 25 prospects, Syracuse QB Shrader to miss spring practice, Sources: Asst. To the media. Remembers receiving a Twitter direct message saying the NFL would never touch a headcase like her son and that she had raised a failure. The D.A.'s office declined to file charges, but McCoy never returned to the team. To 45-year-old men on Twitter he'd never met in states he'd never visited. He had to quiet the noise in his head, try to accept his journey by practicing mindfulness. USC wide receiver Bru McCoy entered the transfer portal on Thursday, according to multiple reports. Merrill is the third reserve wide receiver to enter the portal, joining Jimmy Calloway and Jimmy Holiday. McCoy said he informed the Vols of his decision in late March before the end of his official visit toKnoxville. 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. And, watching, Horace realized something about his son: "He isn't a boy anymore. He was ready to play again. 1 Clemson: QB D.J. #4 Pos: WR Ht: 6026 Wt: 220 40: 4.67 DOB: 6/22/2000 Hometown: Palos Verdes, CA High School: Mater Dei Eligibility: 2023. Big, strong and physical as a wideout with good hands and high-level body control. McCoy has been a confusing character when it comes to the transfer portal before. McCoy appeared in six games during the 2020 campaign and finished with 21 catches for 236 yards and two touchdowns. His stomach would rumble with excitement, with nerves, heading down the 405 each morning. 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. "It was literally nothing to do with anything with Texas. But Bru's were not just his. Bru was the same way. One of the top players left in the college football transfer portal has announced his new destination as wide receiver Bru McCoy said he will leave USC and play at Tennessee this season.. One minute he was playing in the All-American Bowl. McClain ultimately transferred to Utah; his brother and another former USC football player, Abdul-Malik McClain, was later charged in the scheme. Here's 247Sports' high school evaluation of McCoy out of Mater Dei High School in California. - Father Horace played football at Northern Illinois - Mother Shelby was All-American volleyball player at Northern Illinois. Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick. Big, strong and physical as a wideout with good hands and high-level body control. BREAKING: Southern Cal WR transfer Bru McCoy has committed to the #Vols, giving #Tennessee a former five-star prospect at a position of need. Warmer storms could cause problems, DA declines to file charges against USC receiver Bru McCoy, one of the top prospects to come out of Southern California, Illness and a Texas detour left Bru McCoy hurting. (0:30). No matter what anyone said about him outside their home, he was supported when he was inside those walls. The way I saw it is, theres an opportunity, said McCoy, who was ranked the No. Transfer portal here we come Reply JG8AB9TL11OBJ12AD13 Florida . They want you to treat the people around you well, but they also want you to flourish on the field, and theyre going to push you in an uplifting way, but theyre going to push you and get as much as they can out of you. And his parents couldn't defend him from the vitriol. He wants to go into real estate after his career is over. He never got a break. And after a visit to Knoxville in late March, McCoy made his commitment to Tennessee Football on Tuesday night. The pay increase features a $225,000 base salary with $8.725 million in supplemental pay. In August, the Los Angeles District Attorney's office declined to file criminal charges against McCoy. His family knew his character, and he would rely on them more. "I was just sitting there, thinking, this string of events is just too eerie, [like it's] screaming: 'Get out! Who can help student-athletes cash in? He walked by nine months, not needing to crawl. "When chaos is raging around you, that's when it's time to get quiet, to listen and to think. That he was more than his transfers, his skills on the field. Follow her on Twitter: @MirinFader. He slowed down, taking a redshirt and looking forward to a return for the 2020 season. He wasn't sure if his judgment was cloudedif he had chosen this place just because it was steeped in childhood nostalgia. - Led Mater Dei to two consecutive CIF and state titles in his junior and senior seasons. He'd have to tell him to relax. Matt Zenitz of On3 Sports was the first to report. August 22, 2022 8:24 am ET Wide receiver Bru McCoy committed to Tennessee in May. So I came in with just an open mind completely. McCoy emerged as a consensus 5-star recruit and one of the best-ever players with the storied Mater Dei program in Los Angeles. 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. Unique two-way player with a high projection at receiver or outside linebacker. McCoy's eligibility battle is ongoing as Tennessee's season opener against Ball State approaches on Sept. 1 (7 p.m. 0:04. The issue of Bru's eligibility ultimately rests with the . Players no longer require permission from their coaches in order to transfer. Where he plays in college will be interesting as he prefers receiver but might have more upside as a 3-4 outside backer. Potential early impact player at BCS level and high round NFL draft pick.". "He's always trying to dominate," says Keary Colbert, wide receivers coach. After many thoughts and prayers with family and mentors, I have decided to enter my name into the transfer portal.. According to the Los Angeles Times, the former USC star tried to cast doubt on her credibility, . A teenager. On May 3, his saga seemingly came to an end, when . [Capture the thrills of Tennessee football's epic 2022 season with our special newbook. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER. USC wide receiver Bru McCoy runs the ball during the 2020 Pac-12 championship game against Oregon. Honestly, the thing that was wrong with Texas was that it wasn't USC. Heres how to order today! The next he was taking his physical on campus. OK, there's still a weight room. ", "Just be the quiet in the storm," he said, smiling. His dad had to tell him to post his offers on social media. You just gotta make it personal.". Since, Bru McCoy has wholeheartedly disavowed the allegations. We don't care how many touchdowns you score. Alexa McCoy heard it at parties at her college. "He literally had no life. Hounded him. "I put so much into him leaving, for what? He had a 101-degree fever. "I was miserable," Bru says. Is also a tremendous blocker and plays with incredible effort. A big one was the culture at Tennessee. Here's a look at one potential breakout star for each player in the 2021 Way-Too-Early Top 25. But youve got to come experience something. when Bru would ask why he had to do one more drill. 1 athlete in the 2019 recruiting class. Am I happy? 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. That 2019 out-of-state load was more miss than hit, though. He appeared in six games for USC in 2020,. 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. Heres how to order today! At first, he was diagnosed with strep throat, but the fevers grew inconsistent. Bru finished the call and explained to his mom that he DM'd the guy after reading his negative comment. USC's Bru McCoy, who didn't play a game this season after a July arrest on suspicion of felony domestic violence, has entered the transfer portal for the third time in his career. That he is not a was. All this misery, the back-and-forth. "I'm in a position where I really get to write the rest of my story.". Later that spring McCoy decided to re-enter the transfer portal and return to USC citing homesickness. The NCAA introduced the transfer portal on Oct. 15, 2018, providing athletes a path to explore their options. Bru often played through pain. Perry, a third-year sophomore, played in all 13 games this season, mostly on special teams. Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Facebook | Twitter. He forgives himself. "I should have never cared. Watch Highlights Tennessee Volunteers Jersey #15 Class R-JR. Plays the run very well and is comfortable in space or dropping back in to coverage. The district attorney in Los Angeles County declined to file charges in August, and USCs Title IX office dismissed the case in February. So he bikes. Recently he completed a trip around the peninsula, about 22 miles, his calves burning, his back aching. "I thoroughly enjoyed my time there," he says. 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 wanted to be Reggie Bush, so he wore No. Can McCoy, . 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. Bru McCoy NCAA Pos WR Height 6-3 Weight 220 Evaluation Timeline Prospect Info High School Mater Dei City Santa Ana, CA Exp 2022 - . Column: 15 minutes of fame flies by. Bru McCoy reels in a short touchdown on fourth down for USC vs. Oregon. "I didn't really have a sense of self-identity," he says. Just football and academics.". 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. "People dehumanized me," says Bru, now back at USC and planning to play for the Trojans as a redshirt freshman whenever college football resumes. I would have done the same thing, truthfully. He was sad. I gave everything I had to the program and gained a lot of great memories, friendships and experiences. 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. He was in the hospital for three days, having to get IVs because he sweated so much he would begin to cramp. The former five-star receiver was expected to step into a major role on USCs offense in 2021 but never took the field following a July 24 arrest on suspicion of felony intimate partner violence. Bru had arrived at USC in good shape but began to feel beyond drained after every workout. That self you can't avoid, can't lie to, when your head hits the pillow at night. 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. 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. He had heart scans, brain scans. At the time he didn't want to talk about what happened. Look where you'd be if he leaves. 9 overall prospect in the 2019 class, according to the industry-generated 247Sports Composite, coming out of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, Calif. Obviously, theres no handouts. She was furious, running up the stairs into his room. McCoy came away convinced that he would thrive in Heupels system and enjoy playing for Tennessees coaches. ET, SEC Network) at Neyland Stadium. 9 overall recruit in the 2021 class per the 247Sports Composite. But you have to be quiet. 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. Wasn't sure who really wanted to be his friend, for him; not for how much money he could make one day. The 6-foot-3, 220-pound McCoy transferred to Tennessee from USC. 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, 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 coach, His official visit to Tennessee in late March allowed him to attend at least a portion of two of the Vols spring practices and spend plenty of time with Heupels staff, including first-yearwide receivers coach, 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, The Vols havent made any promises to McCoy, he said, about the role he might play once he arrives at Tennessee later this spring. 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