Bru McCoy ankle update: Tennessee WR undergoes season-ending surgery after injury

Tennessee receiver Bru McCoy exited the Vols' game vs. South Carolina on Saturday with what appeared to be a devastating lower-leg injury, one that caused him to be carted from the field vs. the Gamecocks.

The injury occurred on an awkward tackle by Marcellas Dial in which McCoy's right leg was tangled up under their bodies. By the time Dial was finished with the act of tackling McCoy, the receiver was laying flat on his back. He immediately saw the damage he sustained in the injury and grabbed his helmet.

REQUIRED READING: Bru McCoy injury update: Tennessee football receiver undergoes ankle surgery

Trainers tended to McCoy on the ground before he ultimately was carted off the field.

Bru McCoy injury update

McCoy exited Saturday's game vs. South Carolina in the second quarter following the awkward tackle by South Carolina's Dial. It followed an 18-yard catch-and-run by the redshirt senior receiver. Here is a video of the play (warning: graphic content).

McCoy did not return to the game vs. South Carolina. The university announced Sunday he underwent season-ending surgery for a "fracture-dislocation" of the right ankle.

Tennessee coach Josh Huepel was sympathetic toward McCoy after the injury. He said at his halftime interview that the injury "obviously" didn't look good and that he hated it for McCoy: "Toughest kid in America."

Images from the game showed McCoy's Tennessee teammates looking forlorn at his exit.

McCoy was transferred to the nearby University of Tennessee Medical Center following his injury.

Of note: Tennessee football in 2022 suffered a similarly devastating injury vs. South Carolina, to former quarterback Hendon Hooker. The QB suffered a torn ACL in his knee last year, part of a 63-38 upset by the Gamecocks. Hooker was honored on Saturday for his time as the Vols' quarterback.

Josh Heupel statement on Bru McCoy injury

Heupel after the game spoke at greater lengths to McCoy's injury. His prognosis for the receiver wasn't good:

“I hate what happened to Bru," Heupel said. "We will have more of an update tomorrow or Monday. Everybody saw it was a lower-body injury that didn’t look good. There is nobody better than him.”

Bru McCoy eligibility at Tennessee

Despite being a redshirt senior, McCoy could return to play for Tennessee in the 2024 college football season following his injury.

He initially redshirted at USC in 2019 before playing two seasons with the Trojans. He then transferred to play for Tennessee in 2022; this his second season playing in Knoxville. But he has an extra year of eligibility from the NCAA due to the COVID-19-affected 2020 season.

Is Bru McCoy out for the season?

Tennessee confirmed McCoy will miss the rest of the season following his surgery.

"Bru and his family appreciate all of your prayers and support since last night and in the days ahead," UT football posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Bru has displayed unwavering toughness, character and leadership as a Vol on and off the field, and he now begins the road to recovery determined to make this just a minor setback on his football journey."

The question is now if McCoy will be ready to go through preparations for the 2024 NFL Draft. Hooker, of course, was drafted in the third round, No. 68 overall by the Lions in 2023. McCoy was expected to opt into the NFL after this season, but this injury raises a lot of questions with few answers for the time being.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Bru McCoy ankle update: Tennessee WR gets season-ending ankle surgery