Bru McCoy Could Unlock Tennessee's Passing Offense
We are two games into the college football season. As the offense develops, it seems that Bru McCoy can be a player the Vols can turn to for production in the passing game.
A growing trend within the offensive game (in particular, Joe Milton's game) has been the lack of ability to get the ball down the field through the pass. This was a common trend last season with Hendon Hooker at the helm, as seven of his receivers had a 40+ yard catch as their longest of the season. Grant it; it is only two games, but the Vols have just two players with the same title as the previous seven from 2022. Ramel Keyton and McCallan Castles are the only two players with a 40+ yard catch this season. Castles' 40-yard catch was a screen pass for a touchdown against Austin Peay, which is not a downfield throw.
So, it seems like the short/intermediate passing game opens up Tennessee's offense for now. For McCoy, this fits his play style perfectly. Thus far, he has a 10.3-yard average per catch. This fits the mold of a productive receiver within the short to intermediate range. He got more involved in week two against Austin Peay. In week one against Virginia, he had just two catches compared to the five he had against the Governors. This helped the Vols gain some offense as they struggled initially against their opponent in the home opener.
At 6 feet and 3 inches tall and 200+ pounds, his bruising and powerful run ability with the ball in his hands helps him to break through the defense to get extra yardage from the short completions. As Tennessee enters SEC play, it will become clearer just which direction their offense will go. But for now, it seems like McCoy is a great option for them with the short passing game that they have been playing with.
Tennessee Volunteers WR Bru McCoy during the win over Austin Peay on September 9th, 2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Randy Sartin of USA Today Sports)
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