Cooper Mays anchors Vols' offensive line as unquestioned leader
Cooper Mays watched Jerome Carvin's every move a year ago.
How he handled himself, his attitude—Carvin's approach was infectious to the rest of Tennessee's offensive line room. Now Mays is taking over his role.
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With Carvin and tackle Darnell Wright pursuing NFL careers, the Knoxville native is the anchor of the Vols' front heading into his fourth fall camp.
“Just how to come to work with the right attitude,” Mays said. “If you look at a guy like Jerome, no matter when you find him, he’s always going to have a smile on his face. Just being able to kind of adapt that personality trait and do everything the right way with the right mentality, everything else will fall into place.”
Alongside Javontez Spraggins, the 6-foot-3, 305-pound Mays is the veteran of the group He realized the weight of the position last season as the starting center, where he played 894 snaps and didn't allow a sack in the last five games.
Once the Vols' 11-2 campaign ended in a 31-14 win over Clemson in the Orange Bowl, Mays took over where Carvin left off.
"I think it was just something we knew we had to do,” Mays said. “I was a good bit of a leader last year with Jerome (Carvin) having more of the rein but with Jerome gone, who is going to step up? That’s just the position that I was in. Just got to get it done.”
WATCH ON VOLREPORT: Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel details day one of fall camp
Mays' influence was evident in spring practices and has been early in fall camp as the coaching staff tries to figure out the pieces around him.
Tennessee is looking to shore up the tackle position over the month where Wright left a void while having Addison Nichols work a center behind Mays.
"(Nichols) is just a big, physical guy," Mays said. "He's a very physically imposing guy, so that's the first thing you see about him. He's a smart kid, so just trying to make it all come together and figure out that spot. The center spot is the hardest spot to master. Just trying to give him any tips that I can give him and help him out at all."
"I do think there's great competition on the offensive line," Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel added. "You talk about Cooper, his stability and what he brings to the offensive line. He's a guy that's played at a really high level. He's one of the guys that continues to develop his ownership and leadership inside of our program. I really love what he's done this offseason."
The Vols return a number of options at guard and went to the transfer portal twice, adding John Campbell (Miami) and Andrej Karic (Texas) over the offseason.
Mays has helped in their transition, not only because of his status with the team but his unique perspective on transfers having to adjust to a new team.
His brother, Cade, spent two seasons at Georgia before transferring to Tennessee to finish out his career.
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"I think I've got a lot of different unique perspectives when it comes to college football because I'm a local guy. I've got a brother that went (to Georgia) and transferred back. I think all of that stuff kind of culminates being a lot more comfortable in your location.
"I felt really comfortable coming here as a young guy and I feel even better as an older guy. I'm just comfortable with where I'm at."
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