Former 5-star WR Bru McCoy enters transfer portal after lost season at USC
This was not the long-awaited update to the Bru McCoy situation that USC fans were hoping to see.
McCoy, the former five-star prospect from Mater Dei High School, has entered his name in the NCAA transfer portal, after a lost season in which he was "temporarily removed from team activities" over the summer.
McCoy's separation from the team was confirmed Aug. 2 after an arrest on July 24 on suspicion of intimate partner violence.
The Los Angeles Times reported in late August that McCoy would not face criminal charges after the L.A. County District Attorney’s office declined to pursue the matter further due to insufficient evidence.
But no update had been given by USC since then, with former head coach Clay Helton and then later interim head coach Donte Williams declining to address the matter any further during the season.
USC has had several players face disciplinary action/review from the university and ultimately leave the program in recent years, as McCoy -- if he does indeed transfer -- would join RB Kenan Christon (suspended most of the 2021 season, entered portal this offseason), WR Munir McClain (suspended all of 2020 season, transferred to Utah) and S Bubba Bolden (suspended all of 2018 season, transferred to Miami).
McCoy was the headliner of USC's 2019 recruiting class, ranked the No. 1 "athlete" and No. 12 overall national prospect.
Nothing ever went as planned for the wide receiver and the Trojans, though.
McCoy transferred to Texas soon after signing with USC, following the quick departure of offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury after just a few weeks on the job. After going through 2019 spring practice with the Longhorns, McCoy then had a change of heart and transferred back to USC.
USC never officially filed the petition for his eligibility that year, though, because McCoy came down with an illness over the summer that confounded doctors for a while and sidelined him most of the fall. He eventually returned to full strength and back to practice late that season and made his debut in 2020, catching 21 passes for 236 yards and 2 TDs while playing behind established receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown, Tyler Vaughns and Drake London.
McCoy was expected to be a starter and featured target this season, but as it turned out his season was over before fall camp even began.
And now it looks like his time with the Trojans is as well.
A request for perspective or comment from McCoy's father, Horace McCoy, was not immediately returned.
McCoy is the 14th scholarship football player from USC to enter the portal this offseason.