Cooper Mays delivers emotional message on leaving Tennessee a 'better place'

Yes, all the focus for the Tennessee Volunteers right now is on taking down Vanderbilt in the regular season finale. As everyone knows, there's a lot on the line in this one and even star Tennessee running back Dylan Sampson is treating this like a playoff game.

With that said, we can't forget that for a lot of these players, their time in Knoxville is going to be coming to a close soon. This is something standout offensive lineman Cooper Mays understands and it's not easy for him.

Mays is a popular player among the fanbase and rightfully so. He has given his all for this program from the moment he got on to campus, being a big reason why the future is looking so bright. Following the Senior Day win, Mays didn't hold back with his thoughts on playing his last game at Neyland Stadium:

"You know for once you kind of get to step back a little bit and see the bigger picture," Mays said. "It's really special what's going on here at this university and what has gone on here in the small bit of time that I've been a part of it. Just really happy and proud to leave this place a better place than I found it."

You've got to love what Mays had to say there. Sure, there have been some lean years in recent memory for the Vols, but head coach Josh Heupel has people believing again. Tennessee is ranked the No. 7 team in the country and they have one foot in for the College Football Playoff.

There's a chance the Vols could end up hosting one last game at Neyland this season in the first round of the CFP, but there's also a chance the seniors indeed played their final home game. This weekend, Tennessee will face Vanderbilt in a make-or-break contest.

Mays and his teammates know they have to post a victory to keep their title hopes alive. At the same time, they're also taking some time to appreciate what they've been able to get done as well. Mays is surely going to be missed when he leaves. Before we get too emotional, though, Mays and Co. will be ready to rock against Vandy in Nashville - it should be a game to remember.