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Tennessee football’s 10 biggest injury concerns for 2022

By Caleb Calhoun

From left, Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays (63), Head Coach Josh Heupel, quarterback Hendon Hooker (5), and Offensive Analyst Mitch Militello stand before the Pride of the Southland Band as they perform “Tennessee Waltz” after a win in the NCAA college football game between the Tennesse Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 27, 2021.Kns Tennessee Vanderbilt Football
From left, Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays (63), Head Coach Josh Heupel, quarterback Hendon Hooker (5), and Offensive Analyst Mitch Militello stand before the Pride of the Southland Band as they perform “Tennessee Waltz” after a win in the NCAA college football game between the Tennesse Volunteers and Vanderbilt Commodores in Knoxville, Tenn. on Saturday, November 27, 2021.Kns Tennessee Vanderbilt Football /
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Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays during Tennessee football practice on Thursday, April 22, 2021.Kns Ut Practice
Tennessee offensive lineman Cooper Mays during Tennessee football practice on Thursday, April 22, 2021.Kns Ut Practice /

player. Junior. Cooper Mays. Offensive lineman. 1. 839. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis

6’3″ 296 pounds

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Hendon Hooker is more valuable than Cooper Mays, but Mays is proven to be less replaceable. Also, not having Mays could result in increasing Hooker’s likelihood of being hurt. Tennessee football found a steal in the brother of Cade Mays out of Knoxville Catholic High School in Knox County, Tenn., as he started two games in 2020 and became the main starter last year at center.

The problem, though, is that Mays missed half the year due to injury. When he was out, Jerome Carvin moved over to center. It didn’t work out. Carvin had a very low PFF regular season grade because he belongs at left guard, but the coaches had no options.

This offseason, they still couldn’t find help behind Mays at center, who still missed a significant portion of the spring. It’s a new injury too, as he was a full go in the Music City Bowl against the Purdue Boilermakers, so Mays had a variety of injuries that limited him throughout last year.

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Addison Nichols and Ollie Lane both got looks at center, but they didn’t work out. Tennessee football has no real options, and that’s a huge issue given the fact that Heupel operates out of the shotgun almost the whole time and still runs to set up the pass. It makes the center position crucial, so Mays’ injury issues are the biggest concern at UT for 2022.

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