GoUSFBulls.com 7 things to know about Eric Mayes

[Brad]

 

August 24, 2018

By TOM ZEBOLD

USF Senior Writer

TAMPA, AUG. 24, 2018 – USF fans know Eric Mayes as a trusty, left tackle who is preparing for a super senior season with the Bulls.

But there's much more to No. 55, a "big kid" who loves to make his teammates laugh and put a smile on children's faces. One day, Mayes might even be protecting you as a SWAT team member and he'll most certainly be watching cartoons when his shift is done.

Learn more about one of USF's most interesting men below.

Mayes Wants His 'Presence to Be Known'
Eric Mayes is a shining example of a dedicated player who made a successful position switch in college.

Back in 2016, Mayes officially moved from the defensive line to offensive line and saw action in three games as the Bulls' No. 2 right tackle.

"As days went on, I gradually improved, which made me be like, 'You know what, I'm going to stick with it because I got good in such a short amount of time," said Mayes, who used to meet with former USF head coach Willie Taggart every day to learn the plays.

Mayes earned USF's top left tackle spot in 2017, starting all 12 games and helping the Bulls rank sixth nationally in total offense (513.0 ypc) and eighth in rushing offense (264.1 ypg).

"Last season was a great experience," he said. "I really enjoyed that season, but this year I want my presence to be known. I want to play nastier, more dominant. I want to be more physical."

Mayes Didn't Find Playing On The O-Line 'Cool' Before Becoming An Offensive Tackle
Mayes headed to USF as a defensive-minded player who didn't think much of offensive linemen after racking up 24 sacks in two seasons at Booker High School in Sarasota.

"Growing up, I thought if you played on the offensive line you're not cool," he said. "Your name isn't mentioned on the jumbotron. They're not saying, 'Mayes on the tackle,' or anything like that. I figured offensive line is a bunch of nobodies."

Mayes' mindset changed quite a bit in spring 2015 when he saw an opportunity to play on USF's tough offensive line and volunteered for duty.

"After practice, I hollered at Coach T and he was like, 'I've been waiting for you to tell me this for a long time,'" he said.

Mayes was totally sold on the switch by the end of the 2016 season after playing a role in the Bulls' up-tempo attack that set school records with 77 touchdowns, 47 rushing touchdowns (third in the FBS), 3,709 rushing yards and 6,650 yards of total offense.

Now Mayes thinks it's pretty cool that he's able to play offensive tackle with the same aggressive approach he used to become an all-state defensive lineman at Booker High School.

"To be a good offensive lineman, you must have to be like a dog – nasty on the field, no one will beat me, no one will get my quarterback," he said. "Being nice on the offensive line will get you nowhere. I'm a nasty guy. You can't make it up. You either have it or you don't."

Late Start in Pads
Mayes' earliest memory on the gridiron was when he was 6 years old playing all positions in flag football, especially quarterback.

"Those were my skinny days," said Mayes, now 6-feet-4 and 296 pounds.

Mayes didn't get to continue his football career until high school because he couldn't make weight limits in padded youth leagues.

"I hated football just for that," he said. "When I got introduced to basketball, they didn't have any weight limits. I was like, 'Man, this is the sport for me.'"

Mayes eventually ended his NBA dreams when he realized he was too short to become a dominating center. A football coach came calling during his 11^th grade year, when Mayes agreed to give offensive line a try.

Mayes said he got ran over during his first practice and didn't return to the field for a month.

"I told them I'm never going back out there, then my momma (Michele Butler) made me go out there," he said. "I went out there again, but this time (coach) tried me at D-line. I played D-end and that's when it was over with. I fell in love with it."

The Joker Likes to Uplift
Mayes' tough-guy persona is limited to the football field because he's a fun-loving guy on the sidelines, definitely in the locker room and off campus, where he likes to go bowling and play paintball with teammates.

"People think I'm the funniest guy on the team, I just like to make people smile," he said. "My thing is if I can make at least five people smile a day, I feel good about myself. I feel like I made somebody else's day."

Growing up, Mayes would always enjoy making his friends laugh outside the house and away from his four sisters.

"They'd always gang up on me," he said with a smile.

Mayes Loves the Kids
Mayes' mission of making people smile is ...

Continued

[jchem1995]

Great article.

[Skingraft]

Well written 

[BullFan98]

Great read...protect the QB.