USC football progress report: Bru McCoy can prove worth the wait

USC football went through a wild ride getting Bru McCoy on the roster. Now he needs to prove he was worth it.

The Bru McCoy recruitment and transfer saga will go down as one of the most bizarre in USC football history.

The gifted wide receiver needs to make sure it’s not his only contribution to Trojan lore.

McCoy is the latest player Reign of Troy is examining ahead of the 2020 season.

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It’s time to get the complete picture on one of USC’s most anticipated receivers…

What USC got as a recruit:

McCoy was among the elite players in the class of 2019. He ranked ninth nationally in the 247Sports composite and No. 1 among athletes. He was the second-best prospect in California.

At 6-foot-2, 205 pounds, McCoy was an exceptional performer at both wide receiver and linebacker at Mater Dei. He caught 71 passes for 1,312 yards as a senior using his physicality and ball skills.

Even though he was a local prospect at a powerhouse pipeline to USC, the Trojans faced a tough challenge from Texas in his recruitment. Ultimately, he picked USC on Early Signing Day after the hiring of Kliff Kingsbury as the offensive coordinator.

What he’s accomplished:

The first year of McCoy’s college career was an absolute whirlwind. He enrolled at USC in January, but the news of Kingsbury’s departure to the NFL changed his plans. In a shocking move, he opted to transfer away after a week on campus, heading to Texas instead.

That wild development would have been enough to make the saga memorable, but McCoy wasn’t done. After participating in Spring Camp in Austin, the wide receiver had another change of heart. He wanted to come home to USC.

This time, McCoy’s transfer would impact his ability to play. He had to sit out a season before his eligibility would kick in. But he could still practice and prepare with the team.

Of course, the saga wasn’t over. McCoy was absent from Fall Camp because of a mysterious illness. While suffering from fevers of unknown origin that perplexed doctors, McCoy was sidelined from practice for much of the fall.

What to expect in 2020:

McCoy would have had the chance to establish himself in the passing offense in a big way this spring if camp hadn’t been canceled because of the coronavirus.

Instead, McCoy will have to wait until Fall Camp, when he will finally be able to compete for a starting job.

The touches should be there even though USC returns Tyler Vaughns, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Drake London in the receiver corps. The loss of Michael Pittman Jr. means someone will have to step up and replace his physical presence. McCoy may be the perfect candidate.

McCoy isn’t likely to be USC’s leading receiver, considering how long he has been out and how many other strong options the Trojans have all over the field. Still, he should be a factor for opposing teams to take into account.

Where he goes from here:

McCoy has future first-rounder written all over him if he can pick up where he left off in high school.

Unfortunately, the redshirt year he was forced to take means he will be eligible to depart for the NFL after just two years on the field at USC. He could go after his redshirt junior campaign in 2021.

As much as Trojan fans want to see McCoy in cardinal and gold for as long as possible, if he does take his chances in the 2022 draft it would likely mean he thrived at USC. That’s all you can ask for in the end.