Josh Heupel points out under-the-radar player that Tennessee Vols can't lose in 2023
If someone asked you which player the Tennessee Vols could least afford to lose in 2023, you might say it's quarterback Joe Milton or maybe linebacker Aaron Beasley. Losing either of those players would be potentially devastating for the Vols, but on Saturday, it was another player that was the recipient of the highest praise […]
If someone asked you which player the Tennessee Vols could least afford to lose in 2023, you might say it's quarterback Joe Milton or maybe linebacker Aaron Beasley.
Losing either of those players would be potentially devastating for the Vols, but on Saturday, it was another player that was the recipient of the highest praise a college football player can receive from a head coach.
Tennessee's Josh Heupel pointed out center Cooper Mays as a player that the Vols can't afford to go without.
"We don't ever want to miss Cooper," said Heupel when asked about the center position after Tennessee's scrimmage on Saturday. "That's a guy in the middle that's played a lot of football. And a great leader for us, too, inside of our program. Addison (Nichols) and Vysen (Lang) have to continue to grow and step up. There have been some really positive things from them in the first seven days and I'm excited to go back and watch the tape. We're going to need those two guys to grow on the back half of spring ball."
Mays, the younger brother of Carolina Panthers offensive lineman Cade Mays, has developed into one of the most important players on Tennessee's roster.
The senior from Knoxville understands Heupel's offense to the point that he's like another coach on the field for the Vols, something that offensive line coach Glen Elarbee noted earlier this spring.
"He's kind of been the cowbell, he's gotten after guys when things haven't been right, has led in the meeting room, has coached on the field, has coached in the meeting room," said Elarbee when asked about Mays last week. "The biggest compliment I can give to him, I was running a drill and two young guys weren't doing it right and before I can even get to correct them it was just like a flash and Cooper came out of nowhere and blurred across my face and grabbed them and started demonstrating and doing it. I think that kind of leadership translates. My guys see that, guys want to help coach and be a part of it. He's not skipped a beat and has stepped right in on that leadership role."
Success for the Vols starts up front. If Tennessee can't protect the quarterback, then the offense probably isn't going to be as explosive as fans have come to expect.
And Mays is clearly the leader of that unit, which is why Heupel pointed him out as a player that Tennessee doesn't want to live without in 2023.
