Josh Heupel comments on Jermod McCoy’s return to Tennessee practice
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Josh Heupel on Saturday discussed the return of Tennessee cornerback Jermod McCoy to practice. McCoy tore his ACL in January, meaning that he would miss all of spring as he underwent recovery and potentially miss time once the 2025 season began.
On Friday, though, McCoy was back on the practice field, taking part in several drills and reportedly moving around without any difficulty or requiring the use of a brace.
“Cool moment for Jermod. Big moment getting back on the field and doing some of the individual work,” Heupel said after the Volunteers’ scrimmage on Saturday morning.
Josh Heupel mentioned the reaction McCoy’s teammates had to his return to practice, noting that McCoy still has some time before he’s fully ready to go.
“It was cool to see the way his brothers were excited for him in that moment,” Heupel said. “He broke us down before practice. He’s done an elite job throughout his rehab. There’s still more that he’s got to continue to do. But, excited to get him back out with us.”
After a year at Oregon State, McCoy transferred to Tennessee and had an immediate impact, making 44 tackles while recording 4 interceptions and 9 passes defensed. He was named first-team All-SEC as the Vols booked a spot in the College Football Playoff for the first time in program history.
Pro scouts are sure to be keeping a close eye on McCoy coming off of his injury: he’s being projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
