Two of the most important Tennessee Vols are about to put a big Southern California connection front and center in 2024. Or at least that's what Vol fans are hoping is the case.
WR Bru McCoy and QB Nico Iamaleava are both two of the most highly touted recruits from Southern California over the last half decade or so. McCoy was a consensus top 10 national player . Iamaleava was as well . How they ended up in Knoxville was quite different though.
McCoy played his high school ball at national powerhouse Mater Dei, where he starred as a wide receiver and linebacker. He earned MaxPrep's national player of the year award while also being named the U.S. Army All-American Bowl player of the year award. He started off at USC before transferring to a brief time at Texas before returning to the Trojans. Eventually he ended up transferring to Tennessee in May 2022.
Iamaleava likewise starred in Southern California for Warren High School in Downey. Over his last two high school seasons, he threw for 58 combined touchdowns to just 6 interceptions. He committed to the Vols in March 2022.
It didn't seem likely four years ago, but two of Los Angeles' best players have wound up in Knoxville, Tennessee, set to lead the Vols to what UT fans hope is their first shot at playing for a national title since the 1998 season.
And although McCoy had wrapped up his high school career as Nico was starting his, the former had already heard of the latter while he was still in So Cal.
"I knew of him," McCoy said. "Like you said, I was older, so by the time he was doing his thing, I was getting into college, so I would hear about him, but we didn't have a personal relationship at the time."
However, the younger Iamaleava idolized his current wide receiver when he was on the West Coast making plays on the high school fields.
"When I was younger, I thought Bru was the greatest high school player of all time," Iamaleava said with a smile. "First guy I've ever seen play receiver and [defensive] end at the same time. So, seeing him come off the edge and have five sacks and then go score three touchdowns right after was crazy for me to watch, and yeah, man, Bru's always been a top player of mine.
"He's brought me a long way," Iamaleava added. "Just learning from Bru, how to carry yourself on and off the field, I feel like I've learned a great amount. Me and Bru have always had a tight relationship, so I can't wait to go out there and play with him on the field."
McCoy has been able to ease his way back onto the field as he recovered from a gruesome season-ending ankle injury against South Carolina back on September 30. The road has been long , but McCoy has finally been able to work with and catch passes from Iamaleava on the football field again, along with the rest of the QB room.
"You start to build your confidence back. You start to build a connection with them. They start to understand how you run routes. How you come out of the top of a route. Your decision-making process. And so those first few, it's just like the beginning of starting to build a foundation of confidence, and then you have an entire camp to just keep building on that, and now with a mock game week and another game week to just keep going."
Now, Iamaleava and McCoy will look to connect early and often as the Vols try to recapture the success Tennessee found in 2022, when McCoy totaled 52 catches for 667 yards and four touchdowns during the Vols' 11-win season.
And if the bond they've formed and continue to strengthen and the mutual respect they have for each other is any indication, it could be a very memorable year together for two great Southern California natives in East Tennessee.
Related: Tennessee coach explains fierce competition among certain players that's not on the football field that will help the Vols greatly in 2024
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