Tennessee redshirt senior wide receiver Bru McCoy was a guest on ‘Tyler & Will’ on 99.1 WNML-FM in Knoxville on Wednesday, discussing his decision to return to the Vols for the 2024 season, his comeback from the leg injury that ended his season in September and his role as a leader in the Tennessee football program:
“And I want to use this time I have for rehabilitation to become the person I want to be. I don’t want to be a different player when I return. My goal is to improve. Therefore, my objective is to, as I put it in my brain, “show everyone that this wasn’t a setback, it was just the change.” Adversity is a learning experience that helps you become a better person. And that’s what I want. I’m currently traveling back to the person I was before I was harmed, and that’s where I am at.
What it was like to try and manage the Tennessee football team in 2023 while out with a major injury
It’s difficult. Many of the events that you would have liked to attend are lost on you. Pregames, spending the night in the hotel, and having the ability to rile up your teammates—the people you work with every day—all come together. However, it also provided me with an opportunity to view things differently. Things that are not really visible from the inside looking out are visible while you’re looking in from the outside. That gave me the chance to watch guys stand up and be forced to do things they weren’t usually doing, and to just chat about things I saw when watching movies that I generally didn’t see while maintaining a solid relationship. Therefore, even if I didn’t enjoy it, it gave me knowledge and a chance.
“Well, that’s a difficult question. Are I thinking of myself as a leader? I would let my peers make that decision because, well, if they think so. I can concur with them as long as they maintain their viewpoint and act accordingly. However, in my opinion, being a leader is simply about acting morally. It’s not that challenging. Being the loudest guy in the room isn’t the point. Saying, “I want the ball when the game is on the line,” while pointing to oneself is not appropriate. That ought to be assumed. When you consistently behave morally and present yourself in the appropriate manner, people will take notice.