AUSTIN, Texas — Even some University of Texas athletics officials thought the eligibility waiver for five-star receiver Bru McCoy, who transferred from USC to Texas in January, had been filed nearly a month ago.

But sources told Horns247 UT’s compliance office has been working through a few more details before filing McCoy’s waiver with the NCAA seeking immediate eligibility.

The process of filing McCoy's claim was likely drawn out by the fact McCoy's family has an attorney who wanted to review what Texas was planning to submit to the NCAA.

"I thought the eligibility waiver had been filed," one UT official said. "But it's my understanding it will probably be submitted this week or next."

UT officials deliberately waited to file McCoy’s eligibility waiver request until after the NCAA had handed down rulings in high-profile eligibility waiver claims filed by transfer quarterbacks Justin Fields of Ohio State and Tate Martell of Miami.

A source close to McCoy's situation at Texas told Horns247.com UT officials wanted to wait and see how the NCAA ruled on the waivers of Martell and Fields in case there were any details or deficiencies in those waivers that Texas compliance officials needed to consider before filing McCoy's eligibility waiver. The decision to wait on the Fields and Martell rulings wasn't so much about any similarities in the circumstances surrounding their transfers as much as it was about any tendencies in the way the NCAA was ruling on those cases.



The NCAA granted immediate eligibility to both Fields (in February) and Martell (in March), decisions seen by UT officials as favorable for McCoy.

Texas officials see Martell and Fields being granted immediate eligibility as a good sign for McCoy, a 2019 five-star recruit who initially enrolled early at USC before deciding to pack up days later and enroll early at Texas.

McCoy selected USC over Texas, in part, because former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury was hired as the Trojans' offensive coordinator on Dec. 4 and helped convince McCoy to pick the Trojans. McCoy then enrolled early at USC.

Literally, one day after spring semester classes started for McCoy at USC on Jan. 7, Kingsbury accepted the Arizona Cardinals' head-coaching job on Jan. 8.

According to sources close to the situation, McCoy felt he was deceived by USC in more ways than Kingsbury appearing and then disappearing from the Trojans' coaching staff in the span of roughly one month.

McCoy had seen enough. On Thursday, Jan. 24, McCoy entered the new, NCAA transfer portal, packed up his USC dorm room and was on a flight to Austin that weekend, so he could enroll and begin classes at Texas on Monday, Jan. 28.

USC hired North Texas offensive coordinator and former Texas Tech quarterback Graham Harrell to run its offense on Feb. 4.

"You see the Justin Fields waiver ruling, and it puts a smile on your face," one Texas source close to the situation told Horns247 in February. "Now, what the NCAA has done is set precedent in these transfer portal matters."

Horns247 has been reporting since late January that Texas officials felt confident about the basis for McCoy's eligibility waiver, which will now be filed with the NCAA, sources said.

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Longhorns' coach Tom Herman addressed McCoy's situation briefly in February.

"I think every situation is unique, you know," Herman said. "I applaud Bru and his courageousness to say, hey, this is not where my heart is, and I'm going to do something to change that. But as far as timetable, I have no idea. I would assume before the season starts.

"Then, my role, very minimal. I mean, this is a student-athlete, their family, along with our compliance department kind of getting all of the ducks in a row as far as the appeals process is concerned."

McCoy’s recruitment was thought to be over when he announced for the Trojans during the All-American Bowl. USC was the childhood favorite for McCoy and where he had been leaning since his recruitment first started as a freshman in high school. He took visits to UCLA and Washington as well but Texas and USC were always at the top of his board.

McCoy was rated the No. 9 player nationally in the 247Sports Composite for 2019 and won several post-season awards, including CalHiSports Player of the Year, Maxwell National Offensive Player of the Year and MaxPreps National Player of the Year.