Vols assistant coach compares Tennessee WR Bru McCoy to NBA Hall of Famer
Tennessee Vols wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope compared redshirt senior wide receiver Bru McCoy to an NBA Hall of Famer on Wednesday night during an appearance on Vol Calls. Pope was asked about McCoy's return from the injury that cost the California native a large chunk of the 2023 season. "It's a testament to faith, […]
Tennessee Vols wide receivers coach Kelsey Pope compared redshirt senior wide receiver Bru McCoy to an NBA Hall of Famer on Wednesday night during an appearance on Vol Calls.
Pope was asked about McCoy's return from the injury that cost the California native a large chunk of the 2023 season.
"It's a testament to faith, hard work and just trusting God's plan," said Pope when asked about McCoy's return to action in 2024. "It was this week a year ago when he had the injury. And seeing him battle and work through frustration and how tough it was. And, really, as coaches, you know who Bru was before the injury. To see him come back, and he's more athletic. He's faster than he was. It's a testament to that kid's character and our training room and our medical staff for getting him back ready to play."
When Pope was asked about McCoy's skill set, he quickly compared the former USC wide receiver to NBA Hall of Famer Charles Barkley.
"I think Bru, his strengths, he's got a huge toolbox, right? I think, if Bru was a basketball player, he'd be Charles Barkley," said Pope. "You know what I mean? He could play the 4. He could play the 3. He could play shooting guard. He's got a body type and a skill set where he can go to multiple different positions in multiple different situations and be able to compete and dominate…I think that's his true skill set. He's like a Swiss army knife."
That's an apt comparison.
McCoy, like Barkley, plays the game extremely physical. And like Barkley, McCoy isn't a one-trick pony. McCoy can block in the running game, he can be a red zone threat, he can move the chains by fighting through tackles, or he can stretch the field vertically. Much like Barkley was one of the top rebounders in the NBA while also averaging 22 points a game over the course of his career.
Barkley, who was listed at 6-foot-6/250 lbs as a player (though he was likely closer to 6-foot-4 or 6-foot-5), was also a similar size as a pro as McCoy currently is (6-foot-3/230 lbs).
McCoy will be out of college eligibility this year, but I bet he would've been a force on the basketball court for Rick Barnes and the Vols. He definitely would've won his fair share of rebounding battles under the basket.
For now, McCoy will have to settle for posting up overmatched defensive backs on the football field.
