Tag: Cade Mays

Vols’ way-too-early 2020 preview: Running backs

2020 Tennessee football.

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KNOXVILLE — Tennessee football already has plenty of momentum in 2020, after a Gator Bowl victory and the news of Trey Smith’s return and Cade Mays’ transfer.

Although Mays still awaits his appeal to be eligible in 2020, there likely is not a position group happier about the prospect of having Smith and Mays play on the same offensive line than the running backs. Since Jeremy Pruitt arrived in Knoxville, it has been a running back-by-committee approach. In 2019 Eric Gray, Ty Chandler and Tim Jordan carried the load, and the Vols often stuck with whoever had the hot hand.

By the conclusion of the season, there is no doubt it was the true freshman Gray.

The Memphis, Tenn. native finished with 539 yards and four touchdowns on 101 carries, largely helped by a 25 carry, 246-yard, three touchdown performance in the regular season finale against Vanderbilt. Gray wasn’t finished, closing out the season as the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl MVP, rushing for 86 yards and one touchdown on 14 carries during the Vols’ 23-22 win over Indiana.

Chandler and Jordan played a large role for the Vols, as well. Chandler led all rushers with 655 yards and three touchdowns on 135 carries. Jordan gathered 428 yards and a score on 101 carries. Both Chandler and Jordan will play out their final season of eligibility in 2020.

All three players will return for Tennessee, but most eyes will be on Gray. The rising sophomore’s elusiveness, vision and speed gives him the potential to be a star in the Tennessee backfield in the coming years. When he was able to get out in space, his ability to make defenders miss was on full display, particularly in the latter part of the 2019 season.

The Vols will certainly have to rely on their two seniors, especially when it comes to pass protection and pass-catching. Jordan provides a more physical, between-the-tackles presence, while Chandler has similar tendencies to Gray, and brings back the most production out of any of Tennessee’s running backs with the most experience catching passes out of the backfield.

Carlin Fils-aime will also return to provide depth in 2020 for his redshirt senior year, after only playing three games in 2019.

Two — possibly even three — new faces could be added to the running backs room in 2020. Jabari Small, another Memphis native, joins Tennessee as the No. 11 all-purpose-back in the 247 Sports Composite.

A Knoxville native, Tee Hodge comes to Tennessee as a key cog in the 2020 recruiting cycle out of high school football powerhouse Maryville.

“Tee Hodge is a guy that we targeted early on,” said Pruitt during the Early Signing Period. “He came to one of the first camps that we had here, another guy that’s a part of a state championship team.

“He’s a big guy, loves Tennessee, wanted to be here. He’s been a core guy in this class helping recruit, committed and never wavered the whole time.”

Hodge is a punishing runner, and a three-star prospect who held offers from several different Power 5 programs. He is used to winning, something Pruitt has made clear is important to his staff in evaluating players.

The local product won two state championships in his time at Maryville, and lost a total of four games.

Finally, the Vols added Len’Neth Whitehead, rated a four-star inside linebacker out of Athens, Ga. on the 247 Sports Composite. Whitehead played both linebacker and running back in high school, but has made it clear he wants to be on the offensive side of the ball at the next level.

Tennessee will likely give him a chance to compete at tailback, but don’t be surprised to see Whitehead stay on defense in 2020.

Another notable addition to Tennessee’s running backs room has yet to be made, as Pruitt is on the search for running backs coach David Johnson‘s replacement. Johnson is joining Mike Norvell’s staff at Florida State.

No matter who comes in as the position coach, Tennessee returns an experienced, deep and talented unit in 2020 that will hope to reap the benefits of a vastly improved offensive line.

A way-too-early preview of Tennessee’s 2020 quarterback battle

2020 Tennessee football.

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KNOXVILLE — After a six-game winning streak capped off by an improbable comeback win over Indiana in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl, Tennessee finished the 2019 season at 8-5, something that seemed unthinkable after an 0-2 start with losses to Georgia State and BYU.

Since that Gator Bowl victory and the turn of the new year, the news cycle has been kind to Tennessee. Suddenly, with the news of Trey Smith returning and Cade Mays’ transfer, the Vols are primed to have one of the most talented offensive lines in the SEC in 2020 along with multiple key contributors returning on both sides of the ball.

There are few things slowing down the hype train that will carry into Jeremy Pruitt’s third season at the helm in Knoxville. There is one question, however, that could derail that train and leave fans with doubts going into 2020.

Who gets the start at quarterback for Tennessee?

Much-maligned upcoming redshirt senior Jarrett Guarantano announced on his Twitter account Tuesday night that he will return for his final year of eligibility, slamming the door shut on rumors of his transfer.

 

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Guarantano’s announcement leaves Tennessee with five scholarship quarterbacks heading into spring ball.

Also returning are sophomore Brian Maurer, redshirt sophomore JT Shrout, redshirt sophomore Maryland transfer Kasim Hill, and freshman early-enrollee Harrison Bailey.

While many Tennessee fans already have their sights set on Bailey, a blue-chip recruit out of Marietta, Ga., taking over the reigns immediately, that scenario is far from certain. While it is possible Bailey comes in and takes command of the job, make no mistake. As of right now, this is Jarrett Guarantano’s team.

Dubbed the sixth man by his teammates, Guarantano’s poor play at the early onset of the season was a huge reason for the Vols’ miserable start, but he battled back from being benched and led Tennessee down the stretch, throwing for 1,247 yards and eight touchdowns with four interceptions in the last six games. While those numbers don’t jump off the page, they were, however, instrumental in Tennessee’s turnaround.

It seems as though Guarantano plays his best when doubts about his ability are at their highest. Going into Pruitt’s first season in 2018, there hardly seemed to be any separation between Guarantano and Keller Chryst in the quarterback battle. Guarantano ultimately won the job and played well, despite spending most of the season on his back behind a porous offensive line.

To start 2019, Guarantano was Tennessee’s unquestioned starter. Pruitt publicly backed him all offseason, going as far as calling him the only starter penciled in before the season-opener against Georgia State.

Then the season started, and Tennessee’s quarterback looked like a deer in the headlights, throwing four interceptions and taking seven sacks in the first four games, prompting a benching for true freshman Brian Maurer.

While Maurer did provide a spark, he was unable to stay on the field with multiple concussions, and Guarantano was forced back into the lineup, playing well enough to help Tennessee to a 7-1 finish to the season.

Even in the Gator Bowl, which appeared to be a microcosm of Tennessee’s season, Guarantano faced a rough start, including a pick six early in the second half. Benched for one series, he came back in and made the throws he needed to make down the stretch to allow Tennessee to win, 23-22.

In the upcoming offseason, Guarantano will not only be in the same offensive system for consecutive seasons for the first time in his career, but he will have four different players competing to take his starting job.

Brian Maurer appeared in eight games for Tennessee, and threw for 541 yards, two touchdowns and five interceptions. JT Shrout was instrumental in the win over South Carolina, coming in for the injured Guarantano and going 7 for 11 with 122 yards and a touchdown on a beautifully-thrown deep ball to Marquez Callaway.

Harrison Bailey comes in as the promising freshman, rated the No. 4 pro-style quarterback by the 247 Sports Composite, fresh off of leading his Marietta High School team to a 7A Georgia state title.

Finally, Maryland transfer Kasim Hill enters the offseason as the unknown wild card of the group. A former four-star recruit, Hill passed for 1,083 yards, nine touchdowns and four interceptions in ten games for Maryland in 2018, and sat 2019 out at Tennessee as an ineligible transfer, primarily serving as a scout team quarterback for the Vols.

It’s hard to envision all five players still being on Tennessee’s roster by the end of the season, and we may not even know the starter until the Vols take the field to open the season against Charlotte on Sept. 5.

As of this moment, Guarantano is Tennessee’s starting quarterback. If he is still the starter in September, it will not be due to a lack of options. It will be because he gives the Vols the best chance to win.

In the words of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt: “One thing I figured out a long time ago, you better keep signing quarterbacks until you got one.

“Because if you don’t have one, it’s going to be hard to win a game.”

Jeremy Pruitt discusses Cade Mays joining Tennessee

Jeremy Pruitt discusses Cade Mays joining Tennessee.

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KNOXVILLE – Sophomore offensive lineman Cade Mays will transfer to Tennessee.

Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt discussed Mays joining the Vols in a press release issued by UT.

UT press release:

Tennessee head football coach Jeremy Pruitt announced the addition of transfer offensive lineman Cade Mays on Thursday.

Mays made 18 starts and played in 25 games over two seasons at Georgia, capturing Freshman All-America honors in the process.

“We are excited to welcome Cade to the University of Tennessee,” Pruitt said. “Cade is a great fit because of his familiarity with Tennessee and Knoxville. He will get to play with his brother, Cooper, at the school where his dad, Kevin, played. As a guy with multiple years of starting experience on the offensive line in the SEC, Cade is a tremendous addition to our program. He’s tough and he’s powerful, and he is a versatile player, who can line up anywhere on the offensive line. He will have an impact on the field, and he will also have a positive effect on our team and in the offensive line room with his leadership ability. We added a lot of great young players in December and it’s exciting to also add a veteran like Cade to the Vols.”   

Listed at 6-6, 318 pounds, Mays saw action in all 14 games for Georgia in 2019, playing at every position on the offensive line and earning 11 starts. He was the co-winner of the Charley Trippi Award for versatility, given at the team’s post-season awards gala.

Mays started at left tackle for the Bulldogs in the 2020 Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.

As a freshman in 2018, he was voted to the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team and the SEC All-Freshman Team after playing in 11 games with seven starts.

A former five-star prospect out of Knoxville Catholic High School, Mays was selected to represent the East in the 2018 Army All-America Bowl. He was the No. 3 rated offensive tackle and No. 22 overall prospect nationally.

His father, Kevin, was an All-SEC offensive guard and a team captain for Tennessee in 1994.

His younger brother, Cooper, will be a freshman on Rocky Top this fall after signing with the Vols in December.  

Father of former Georgia OL Cade Mays sues UGA over severed finger

Cade Mays’ dad is suing UGA over a severed finger he suffered during a recruiting visit. Now, Mays is transferring to the Tennessee Vols.

Georgia Bulldog offensive lineman Cade Mays is transferring to Tennessee in a surprising move this week, according a report Wednesday by ESPN. Mays is joining his brother Cooper in Knoxville. Mays has a path to immediate eligibility thanks to a lawsuit that’s suing UGA and the chair manufacturer over his father’s severed finger.

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Mays should be allowed to join his brother without sitting out a season, but this lawsuit is being filed very late in the process. Mays’ father severed off a portion of his finger on a fold-up chair on a recruiting visit in 2017.

Mays went on to commit to UGA following the incident, where former UGA offensive line coach Sam Pittman picked up the severed finger and immediately put it on ice. Now, Pittman is tabbed as the head coach at Arkansas. Pittman’s departure is another likely reason for Mays’ transfer. The lawsuit was filed shortly after Pittman left.

Mays’ father is now being represented by attorney Tom Mars, who has experience with NCAA eligibility cases. The NCAA is impossible to predict, so we shall see if they grant the waiver. Mars is already getting into it with UGA’s administration and respected UGA sportswriter Radi Nabulsi:

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Father of former Georgia OL Cade Mays sues university over severed finger

On the same day that Georgia OL Cade Mays entered the NCAA transfer portal, we learn that his father, Kevin Mays, is suing the University of Georgia.

On the same day that Georgia OL Cade Mays entered the NCAA transfer portal, we learn that his father, Kevin Mays, is suing the University of Georgia.

Father of former Georgia OL Cade Mays sues university over severed finger (Ugawire)

On the same day that Georgia OL Cade Mays entered the NCAA transfer portal, we learn that his father, Kevin Mays, is suing the University of Georgia.

On the same day that Georgia OL Cade Mays entered the NCAA transfer portal, we learn that his father, Kevin Mays, is suing the University of Georgia.

Tom Mars ‘highly confident’ Cade Mays will play next season for Vols

Cade Mays set to transfer to Tennessee.

KNOXVILLE — Sophomore Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays is set to transfer to Tennessee.

Mays will join his brother, Cooper a UT 2020 signee, at Tennessee. Their father, Kevin, is a former All-SEC offensive lineman for the Vols.

Kevin Mays saw part of his right pinky finger amputated in an accident with a folding chair at a Georgia team gala in December of 2017.

Cade could play immediately at Tennessee and not have to sit out a season due to NCAA transfer rules. He is being represented by attorney Tom Mars.

Mars provided the following statement to Vols Wire regarding representing Mays:

“I can confirm I am representing Cade Mays in connection with his transfer from Georgia. Based on my investigation of the facts and circumstances, I’m highly confident that Cade will be granted a waiver allowing him to play next season. Of all the waiver cases I’ve been involved in, I’ve never seen anything quite like this one. And for the sake of everyone who loves college football, I hope I don’t ever see another one.

The student privacy requirements of federal law don’t allow the NCAA or its member institutions to publicly comment on the reasons behind a student-athlete’s transfer, and there’s no reason that they should. The fact that a college student is a high-profile student-athlete doesn’t entitle everyone who has a Twitter account or press credentials to know every little detail about that student’s college experience. That said, of the thousands of college football fans who’ve speculated on social media why Cade decided to leave UGA, I haven’t seen a single comment that even comes close to the truth.

Eligibility waivers are decided by the Legislative Relief section of the NCAA. NCAA Enforcement has nothing to do with eligibility decisions. I’m under contract with NCAA Enforcement as an “Independent Enforcement Advocate” (on a standby basis without compensation) to be part of a team of professionals who will handle any enforcement cases that might eventually be assigned to the Complex Case Unit. My contract with NCAA Enforcement prevents me from representing anyone in a matter that involves alleged infractions of the NCAA rules. However, I’m not prohibited from representing student-athletes or advising schools in matters regarding eligibility. If I’m asked to handle a matter assigned to the CCU at some point in the future, I’ll withdraw from doing any work on the eligibility side of the NCAA just to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest. In the meantime, a large part of my sports law practice still involves student-athlete eligibility issues.

The Mays family has never said a word to anyone about Kevin Mays’ lawsuit. The timing of the news stories about Mr. Mays’ lawsuit makes clear that UGA leaked this story to sports writers today after Cade delivered a letter to Kirby Smart late yesterday explaining the reason he’s leaving Kirby’s program. In fact, one sports writer I spoke with earlier today confirmed that’s how he found out about the lawsuit. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised that UGA is continuing to take the low road about the lawsuit, but directing sports writers to Mr. Mays’ lawsuit set a new record low for UGA Athletics.”

Mays family suing UGA for 2017 incident

Mays family suing UGA for 2017 incident.

After finishing his sophomore season with the Bulldogs, offensive lineman Cade Mays is transferring from Georgia to Tennessee.

Once the news of Mays hitting the transfer portal broke, records from the Athens Clark-County State Court surfaced, revealing that Mays’ family has filed a lawsuit against the Georgia Athletic Association due to an incident in 2017 during a recruiting visit.

Mays’ father, former Tennessee All-SEC offensive lineman Kevin Mays, saw part of his right pinky finger amputated in an accident with a folding chair at a Georgia team gala in December of 2017.

“Plaintiff Kevin Mays’ right pinky finger was partially amputated as the subject folding chair wedged against the column,” says the complaint.

The lawsuit, filed two years after the incident on Dec. 5, 2019, is also against Dekalb Office Environments, Inc, and the Board of Regents at the University of Georgia, among others.

It is unclear whether this is a direct reason for Mays’ transfer, but the former five-star prospect will be joining his younger brother Cooper, who is an early enrollee in Tennessee’s 2020 recruiting class.

Recapping a wild Wednesday in UGA Athletics

UGA Wire recaps a wild Wednesday in Athens, Georgia

After the Georgia men’s basketball team squandered a nine-point home lead to Kentucky on Tuesday night, things began to get a little interesting in Athens.

In the early afternoon, junior linebacker Monty Rice announced he would be coming back to Georgia, while junior quarterback Jake Fromm surprised many when he announced he would forgo his senior season to enter the 2020 NFL Draft.

Before Bulldog fans could even get their farewell tweets out to Fromm, another domino dropped, followed by a hilarious snippet of news from 2017.

Cade Mays, the former five-star offensive lineman, would be transferring from Georgia to Tennessee. If you thought the story stopped there, you would be wrong.

Mays’ father, Kevin Mays, reportedly had part of his pinky finger amputated in 2017 after getting it stuck in a chair at a UGA Gala in Athens.

Yes, you read that right. Why the Mays’ waited two years to sue over this incident is anyone’s guess, but you have to believe they’ll try anything to get Cade an eligibility waiver for 2020.

What will today bring? Well, that’s anyone’s guess, but we don’t expect to see another pinky gate for a good while.

Report: Georgia football OL enters transfer portal

This one came out of left field. After junior quarterback Jake Fromm announced today he is entering the 2020 NFL Draft, AL.com ‘s Matt Zenitz reports that sophomore offensive lineman Cade Mays has entered the NCAA’s student-athlete transfer portal. …

This one came out of left field. After junior quarterback Jake Fromm announced today he is  entering the 2020 NFL Draft, AL.com‘s Matt Zenitz reports that sophomore offensive lineman Cade Mays has entered the NCAA’s student-athlete transfer portal.

Mays saw signifigant action as a true freshman and started 11 games this season. He started at four positions on the offensive line and also filled in at center. Mays would join sophomore safety Otis Reese and redshirt sophomore linebacker Robert Beal who have also entered the transfer portal.

With junior left tackle Andrew Thomas and redshirt sophomore right tackle Isaiah Wilson leaving school early, Mays was slotted for a starting position. It’s rare to see a starting player enter the transfer portal, especially one that the coaching staff continuously praises, so there may be another reson the Knoxville, TN native has made the decision.