Pruitt expects ruling from SEC on Mays
Cade Mays' status for Tennessee's season opener against South Carolina remains in limbo, but Vols coach Jeremy Pruitt expects that Mays will be cleared by the SEC to play against the Gamecocks.
Mays, a junior offensive lineman, transferred to Tennessee from Georgia in January.
As an intraconference transfer, he needs waivers from both the NCAA and SEC to gain immediate eligibility. The NCAA granted Mays a waiver on Thursday, reversing course after denying his waiver in August.
The ball is now in the court of SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey.
Mays is allowed to practice while he awaits his waiver fate.
“We've got no indication, as of yet (from the SEC). I'm sure that they will,” Pruitt said Monday, when asked whether he expects the SEC to rule before No. 21 Tennessee plays South Carolina on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET, SEC Network) in Columbia.
“It just makes too much sense not to, and we've planned all along for Cade to be able to play. If you look at what went into the waiver process, it's pretty evident that the young man needs an opportunity to play – or deserves an opportunity to play.”
If Mays receives the SEC waiver, he would become a projected starter for what should be a robust Tennessee offensive line. He's most likely to play right guard or right tackle, although he's also an option at left tackle.
Mays started 18 games during two seasons at Georgia, where he took snaps at all five offensive line positions.
Mays joins Kentucky quarterback Joey Gatewood, a transfer from Auburn, and Mississippi defensive back Otis Reese, a transfer from Georgia, as intraconference transfers who are still awaiting their fate for this season.
UK coach Mark Stoops said during his Monday news conference that the Wildcats are waiting to hear from the SEC on Gatewood's status.
Veteran Tennessee running back to sit out
Tennessee senior running back Carlin Fils-aime will sit out this season. Pruitt said it's possible that he will rejoin the squad in January and play in 2021.
"When that time comes, we'll get together and decide that," Pruitt said. "He's a guy that has done everything we have asked him to do as a player since I've been here. Unfortunately, he's had some injuries that's kept him off the field, but has been a great student, role model, good teammate and we would love to have him back, for sure.”
Fils-aime rushed for 309 yards during his Tennessee career, the majority of which came in 2017. He also contributed on special teams.
Fils-aime appeared in 33 career games, but just three last season, when he was hampered by a leg injury.
Fils-aime joins wide receiver Deangelo Gibbs as players who are sitting out this season. The 2020 season will not count against an athlete's eligibility, meaning Gibbs would remain a junior in 2021, and Fils-aime could play a senior season next year. As a returning senior, he would not count against a team's limit of 85 scholarship players.
Who's available?
Pruitt declined to say whether any players will be unavailable for Saturday because of reasons related to COVID-19.
"When it comes to what our numbers will be for Saturday, I'm not sure that it's fair for the kids that are going to play to release that, just from a competitive standpoint," Pruitt said Monday.
"So, we're not going to release each week exact numbers."
Tennessee's practices are closed to the media, and it might not become clear until pregame warmups Saturday which Vols players will or won't be available.
The last update Pruitt offered on the status of his roster came when he told the Knoxville Quarterback Club that the team had 34 players unavailable for a scrimmage on Sept. 12. That figure of unavailable players was not strictly tied to COVID-19. Some players were out with injury.
Pruitt said on "The Paul Finebaum Show" on Wednesday that Tennessee's number of unavailable players is decreasing after a stretch earlier in the preseason when more than 40 players were unable to practice, the majority of whom were withheld because of reasons related to COVID-19.