Georgia’s Chris Mayes re-enters starting lineup, earns captain status

ATHENS -- Chris Mayes looked at his phone Monday evening and was puzzled at the text message he was suddenly reading.

He had been named one of Georgia’s four captains for Saturday’s game against South Carolina. Interestingly enough, no coaches or teammates had notified him of the honor before it was announced. A friend from his hometown of Griffin was the one to first tell him of his captain status, most likely after reading a news report.

“That caught me by surprise,” Mayes said with a laugh.

But the recognition serves as validation for the roller coaster Mayes has been on through three seasons with the Bulldogs. After transferring to Georgia in 2013 from Gulf Coast Community College (Mississippi), Mayes started eight games and became a key contributor under former defensive coordinator Todd Grantham.

Things changed when defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt arrived a year ago. Mayes was forced to learn a new scheme and change his body type. He has stayed around the same weight, 330 pounds, but had to trim fat and add a lot more muscle. The transition was tough, he said. Mayes was forced to learn a new system designed for leaner linemen, and it kept him from cracking the starting lineup a year ago.

Mayes admitted it was difficult dealing with what transpired.

“There were a lot of frustrating points,” Mayes said. “But I just wanted to get out there and do whatever I could to help the team win. I was starting on goal line, so whenever I was called in for that, I was ready.”

It took a full season, but by this spring, Mayes began grasping Pruitt’s scheme. Mayes entered the summer second on the depth chart at nose tackle and was the starter by the time the season began.

“I love his effort,” defensive end Sterling Bailey said. “I love the fight that he gives when he’s out there. He has a tremendous motor.”

Mayes is tasked with taking on double teams up front while trying to disrupt the opposition’s backfield as a nose tackle. He has tallied eight tackles and one quarterback hurry in two games, all while making things easier on the inside linebackers in the running game.

“I think the thing that has helped Chris the most is the offseason that he put in,” Georgia head coach Mark Richt said. “I think he really got himself in tremendous condition. He’s able to play harder and is learning how to play better with his hands.”

Richt pointed out that sometimes it’s easy for a defensive lineman’s play to go unnoticed since those players don’t often rack up a ton of statistics. Mayes has plugged in and done the dirty work for his teammates while breaking through to make some plays of his own.

“Chris has made more plays, which is good,” Richt said. “You’ve got to whip somebody up front to make a play. Sometimes you have to whip two people. He’s really come along. Hopefully, he’ll keep going.”

For Mayes, being a captain this week is recognition for the work he has put in. Although he was demoted a year ago, he never quit on his goal of being a starter again.

“I had to show them I still had the same abilities as the quicker guys but that I could contribute at more than one part of the game,” Mayes said.

This story was originally published September 17, 2015 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Georgia’s Chris Mayes re-enters starting lineup, earns captain status ."