Tennessee’s WR duo showed they haven’t missed a beat after a tough break in 2023

2023 was a tough pill to swallow for the Tennessee Vols. It was an extremely one to handle in particular for a pair of Tennessee wideouts in Bru McCoy and Dont’e Thornton, Jr.

The Vols’ two big wideouts suffered season-ending ankle injuries during different parts of the 2023 season. McCoy suffered a fracture and dislocation of his ankle after getting his foot caught underneath him during a tackle in Tennessee’s 41-20 win over South Carolina back on September 30. Thornton suffered a high ankle sprain while hauling in the Vols’ only score in Tennessee’s 36-7 loss at Missouri on November 11.

First and foremost, it was sickening for the players, particularly for McCoy given the gruesome nature of the injury. That said, there’s no question their absence made a struggling passing game even that much more difficult to get working. The inability of Joe Milton III to execute Tennessee’s offense at the same level that Hendon Hooker did was obvious. And Tennessee’s pass catchers, when the ball was there, didn’t rise enough to the occasion to make plays often enough.

Fast forward eight months after the Vols’ 35-0 win over Iowa in Nico Iamaleava’s first start, and the Vols’ offense with McCoy and Thornton back on the field together look like they haven’t lost a beat, both physically and as far as being in sync with their new starting quarterback.

McCoy showed through a handful of plays that the ankle is just fine and that he’s back assuming his position on the outside at a high level. He finished with a game-high 6 catches for 89 yards.

Thornton was fast and explosive on the outside, pulling down two of the biggest chunk plays of the day. His 59-yard catch and run on a simple go route showcased both his speed as well as Iamaleava’s superior deep ball touch. He also outraced a defender after another perfect throw in stride for a 36-yard score earlier in the first quarter.

How Thornton ever started off last year in the slot is a mystery to me, given his blazing straight-line speed and size. However, it seems as though Heupel has managed to find a true threat down the field on the perimeter, which will serve to stretch opposing defenses deep.

Two season-ending injuries, and now two players who appear to be fully recovered from them and back to their old selves. Chalk that one in the category of things you love to see. We’ll see if Nico, his wideouts, and the passing offense can keep the good times rolling on Saturday in a jump in competition as the Vols take on NC State in Charlotte.