The Tennessee Volunteers will miss more than the 69 receptions for 884 yards and five touchdowns that fifth-year senior Bru McCoy has amassed since the start of the 2022 season.
They will miss the perimeter blocking provided by Tennessee’s most chiseled receiver at 6-foot-3 and 220 pounds. McCoy was lost for the rest of this season after suffering a fractured and dislocated ankle during the second quarter of last Saturday’s 41-20 downing of South Carolina.
“I wouldn’t say it’s a concern, because we work on fundamentals with all of our guys inside of our program really every single day that we’re out on the grass,” Tennessee third-year coach Josh Heupel said Wednesday. “That’s during the season and in training camp and in spring ball as well, but you are correct, no doubt, that Bru is a special player in his level of being physical whether he is blocking on the perimeter or has the ball in his hands.
“That was special, and it was a big part of what we did offensively. You hate seeing the injury that he sustained, not just because of who he is but how much work he put in to get ready for this season. He was at his best and has been a great leader for this program.”
Tennessee’s two other primary starting receivers so far this season, fifth-year senior Ramel Keyton and sophomore Squirrel White, are 6-3, 197, and 5-10, 165, respectively. Oregon transfer Dont’e Thornton, who didn’t play against the Gamecocks, weighs 214 pounds but is 6-5, thus displaying a slimmer frame.