Tennessee Football enters the season as one of the most highly-anticipated teams in the country. Who will be the key pieces for the Vols in 2024? The following is a countdown series of the most important Vols on Tennessee’s roster as they head into summer workouts.
Traditionally, the blindside tackle has always been considered the most important offensive lineman. However, for Tennessee Football under Josh Heupel, the center takes the cake. There are too many important calls to make and too much of a required understanding about where to place the ball in this tempo-based scheme to ignore.
Cooper Mays has proven to be the perfect fit for Heupel’s system. Given how quick-thinking the center must be, he’s also proven to be the only fit at the position ever since Heupel took over in 2021. Combine that with his experience as a fifth-year senior, and he’s the second most important Vol entering 2024.
Why?
We can legitimately point to a game that Tennessee Football lost because it didn’t have Mays. The Vols beat the Florida Gators last year if Mays is starting at center. His absence is the biggest reason they weren’t able to win that game, from the penalties to the missed blocks.
Heupel’s offense doesn’t work without the interior run-blocking, so from that perspective, Mays is as important as Javontez Spraggins, who was also on this list. That makes for multiple ways Mays is crucial to the system. Add in his veteran leadership and his 6’4″ 310-pound frame, and he belongs this high.
What If?
Here is where the biggest concern of the year faces the Vols. UT didn’t have an answer at center without Mays last year. Vysen Lang figures to be the backup center for Rocky Top entering this season, but there’s no proof he has figured out the system yet. As a result, there are lots of questions facing this team right now here. Simply put, Mays is crucial.
Conclusion
Lack of depth at center, Mays’ experience and his proven production make him easily one of the most important players on the Vols. It would be shocking if he isn’t a team captain who attends SEC Media Days. Mays has as much to do with leading the offense as the quarterback will, and that’s a big deal.
Worth Noting
Hendon Hooker’s biggest weakness when he took over in 2021 was his inability to avoid sacks, as he took 41 sacks. That dropped to 26 sacks in 2022. One huge difference was Mays, who only started eight games in 2021 and dealt with an array of injuries. Combine that with last year’s early absence, and it’s clear that UT needs Mays to be healthy.
As for the rest of the top 10 most important players for Tennessee Football entering summer workouts, here is the countdown:
