The NCAA has denied the immediate eligibility request of former Georgia Bulldogs offensive lineman Cade Mays. Mays is trying to play this season in Knoxville with the Tennessee Volunteers.
Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt stated that the school plans to appeal the NCAA’s decision.
Mays, who committed to UGA as a five-star recruit in the class of 2018, announced his intentions to transfer to Tennessee and play for the Vols following Georgia’s Sugar Bowl victory over Baylor. Mays is from Knoxville and has a brother, Cooper, who plays for the Vols.
ESPN college basketball analyst Jay Bilas spoke out regarding the denial of Mays’ transfer request. Bilas sides with Mays. He thinks Mays should be immediately eligible. The NCAA is inconsistent on transfer rulings and that’s a source of both his and college sports fans’ frustration with the NCAA.
Here’s what Jay Bilas said on Twitter:
Good grief. With all we’re going through, Cade Mays has his transfer waiver denied? The NCAA has a chance to right this wrong on appeal, and should. Mays didn’t have a choice but to leave Georgia, and the NCAA knows it. Too bad Mays isn’t a QB…he’d be eligible immediately. https://t.co/5AeFiJoG5a
— Jay Bilas (@JayBilas) August 18, 2020
The NCAA has been frequently ruling quarterbacks immediately eligible, including Georgia’s J.T. Daniels. Alternatively, the NCAA is known to be tougher on transfers within the same conference.
One key difference between Cade Mays and J.T. Daniels is that Daniels missed much of the 2019 season with an injury. Mays on the other hand played throughout last season and didn’t miss much action.
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