Former Georgia offensive lineman Cade Mays will be in a Tennessee uniform and likely start at right tackle when the No. 12-ranked Vols visit Sanford Stadium to play the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs on Saturday. That much everybody knows.
What nobody knows for sure is what individuals allegedly speaking on Mays’ behalf mean when they say the reason he left UGA was to escape a “toxic environment” and “an unhealthy situation”.
As one might expect, that’s a point of contention for those in Georgia’s camp.
“What their lawyer supposedly said is not even a reason (for the transfer),” Georgia Athletic Director Greg McGarity said Monday. “They can believe what they want to believe. All I’m saying is it’s not backed up by fact. But you’re not going to be able to do anything to change anybody’s mind about that.”
Georgia coach Kirby Smart and Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt were asked about the situation at their respective media briefings Monday. Both downplayed the assertion of bad blood between the coaches as individuals or the respective institutions as a result of Mays' transferring or, moreover, the Mays family’s lawsuit that may or may not have precipitated the decision to leave.
Pruitt was asked what Tennessee meant by claiming Mays left Georgia because “a toxic environment” at Georgia.
“Well, I have no idea,” he told reporters Monday. “I was not involved in those conversations.”
But Pruitt was. Gregory Isaacs, a high-profile Knoxville attorney who has represented several UT players in criminal matters, is the one who made the “toxic environment” accusation about Georgia. But this summer, after Mays' initial eligibility waiver was denied by the NCAA, Pruitt further endorsed that narrative when asked about it.
“To me it’s just common sense,” he said. “If there is a lawsuit going on with your employer, it’s probably not the healthiest situation in the world.”
Mays' NCAA waiver eventually was approved on appeal. Then, SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey last week approved Mays' intraconference eligibility request along with several others due to the “special circumstances” created by the COVID-19 pandemic. Sankey stipulated that it had nothing to do with the basis of any waiver requests.
Smart and Pruitt have long been professional acquaintances and coached together briefly at Alabama. Smart was asked Monday if Pruitt’s remarks or Tennessee’s actions has soured their relationship.
“Not really,” Smart said. “I know guys in the SEC will do anything they can to get guys eligible, and that’s their decision.”
At the center of the controversy is a multi-million dollar lawsuit filed against UGA, the athletic association, the state board of regents and others by Mays' parents, Kevin and Melinda Mays. It’s the result of a folding-chair accident that occurred on Cade’s recruiting visit to UGA in December of 2017 and resulted the amputation of the end of Kevin Mays' pinky finger.
A 5-star prospect from Knoxville at the time, Cade Mays ended up signing with Georgia a short time later. Father and son actually joked about the “chair incident” with media after Cade became a member of the Bulldogs' signing class of 2018.
Mays earned freshman All-America honors in 2018 after playing in 11 of 14 games with seven starts. Last year, he also started seven games and famously fielded all five o-line positions for the Bulldogs. He started at left tackle against Baylor in the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1.
One week later, Mays entered the transfer portal. A day after that, Tennessee announced he had enrolled and was attending classes there.
Smart said Monday he had no idea that was about to happen.
“I didn’t have a sense then,” he said of the Sugar Bowl. “I thought Cade had done a tremendous job for us. I’ve got a lot of respect for Cade as a player and a person. That’s all I can say about it.”
According to the lawsuit, filed in Athens-Clarke County State Court Dec. 5 of 2019, Kevin Mays is seeking $3 million in damages for pain, suffering and lost wages; his wife seeks an additional $500,000. The case has yet to be adjudicated and remains on the docket. It might not be resolved for a while.
“It’s in discovery and it has been for a while,” said attorney Michael Raber, who is UGA’s head of legal affairs but not directly involved with the case. “With COVID, there was a state of emergency in Georgia and that has really slowed things down, as it has a lot of litigation. It was kind of moving slowly anyway.”
But as McGarity asserted, the notion that the lawsuit created tension for Mays within Georgia’s football complex does not make sense. While there had to be legal maneuverings behind the scenes well before the lawsuit was submitted last December, it’s unlikely any of that would have seeped into daily and weekly preparations on campus.
“Once this was turned over to the insurance companies we were not involved anymore,” McGarity said. “We have had no interaction with anybody involved since, I don’t know, probably 2018? It’s all handled by outside parties. This is between the Mays family and the insurance companies.”
Indeed, Raber said K&K Insurance Company is handling the lawsuit and is represented by Joe Rahimi of Savannah on behalf of UGA and the UGA Athletic Association. Kevin Mays is represented locally by Donald Samuel of the Atlanta law firm of Garland, Samuel and Loeb and in Knoxville by Isaacs.
The lawsuit skews what to numerous parties involved believe is the real impetus for Mays' transfer – the chance to play on the same team as his younger brother. Cooper Mays signed in Tennessee’s Class of 2020. He and Cade were able to play on line together in the Vols' 35-12 win over Missouri this past Saturday.
The brothers playing together has long been the hope of Kevin Mays, a Tennessee football letterman himself. However, Georgia never extended Cooper Mays an official scholarship offer. When the Vols did and it was clear that’s where Cooper was headed, that’s when Cade and his family began to explore the possibility of transferring.
Now that is a done deal, Cade Mays will be wearing the orange-and-white of UT in Sanford Stadium just 10 months after wearing the red and black of Georgia.
“I know Cade’s really happy that he’s getting a chance to play; he’s very thankful for that,” Pruitt said. “He went against most of these guys every single day, and when you’re a competitor on both sides of the ball, it won’t be no different for the kids from Georgia. They’re used to going against Cade and Cade’s used to going against them. They’ll be real familiar with each other.”
That’s a fact. None of the Bulldogs asked about it Monday said they have any special disdain for Mays playing for a bitter rival on Saturday.
“We love Cade at Georgia,” sophomore running back Zamir White said. “We wish him the best. We’re happy for him.”
Said guard Ben Cleveland, who shared time with Mays at right guard: “You can’t shake your head at a kid who did what he thought was best for him and his family. Ultimately, that’s what everybody here wants once you’re part of the family, what’s best for you and your family.”
The interesting part of this story will come Saturday when Mays lines up on the right flank Tennessee’s offensive front. It was there that Georgia’s vaunted defense often attacked Auburn and quarterback Bo Nix with a cavalcade of pressures and pass-rush specialists, including Adam Anderson and Azeez Ojulari.
“It’ll be a great competition,” Georgia defensive end Malik Herring observed, “like old times in practice.”
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