Don't hold the Mayo

Photo by Amy Smotherman Burgess // Buy this photo

Tennessee linebacker Jerod Mayo pressures Air Force quarterback Shaun Carney to pitch the ball during the Vols’ 31-30 victory last year at Neyland Stadium.

Tennessee linebacker Rico McCoy’s voice changes just a bit when he talks about Jerod Mayo’s season a year ago.

McCoy’s words carry what sounds like reverence, or at the very least, a lot of respect.

“It was just amazing to see what he accomplished last year,” says McCoy, who figures to start this season at Mayo’s old weakside linebacker position. “Going into the season hurt, with a nagging ankle from two-a-days. Shoot, it’s amazing what he did pretty much on one leg.”

Despite that ankle injury suffered last August, Mayo finished third on the team with 83 tackles — in almost two fewer games than the two above him on the list.

His five sacks led the team, as did his 12.5 tackles for loss.

Mayo, a preseason first-team All-SEC selection by the league’s coaches, leads an experienced group of Tennessee linebackers this season.

Senior Ryan Karl returns at strongside linebacker, where he recorded 66 tackles, including nine for a loss last season.

Along with middle linebacker Marvin Mitchell, a seventh-round draft pick in April’s NFL draft after leading the team with 104 tackles, Mayo and Karl turned one of the Vol’s biggest question marks before the 2006 season into one of its biggest strengths.

The question last year surrounding this group was experience.

This year, it’s durability.

Karl is nursing a back injury suffered during offseason workouts, and might miss part of preseason camp pending the results of an evaluation next month.

Mayo missed most of UT’s final two regular-season games after suffering a knee injury at Vanderbilt.

He played sparingly in the Outback Bowl before having arthroscopic surgery on his left knee a week later.

Still, Mayo’s injury helped pave the way for McCoy — UT’s other projected starter heading into fall camp — to get on the field earlier.

McCoy, a 6-foot-1, 215-pound sophomore, played the majority of the Vanderbilt game after Mayo went down and started the next week against Kentucky.

With Mayo still limited, he started the Outback Bowl at weakside linebacker as well.

“Nothing matches that game experience,” said McCoy, who earned freshman All-SEC honors last season. “It can’t be taught. You’ve got to be out there and experience it yourself. Once you’ve got experience and you have ability, the sky’s the limit.”

McCoy certainly has a mix of both.

Against Vanderbilt, he led the team with eight tackles, including three for a loss.

Against Kentucky, he recorded a team-high nine tackles, forced a fumble and broke up a pass.

By the bowl game, McCoy looked to have earned a starting job alongside Mayo and senior Ryan Karl for this season.

But Mayo’s surgery caused him to miss spring practice, delaying his move to middle linebacker.

And just like McCoy used his opportunity to show he could play, reserves Ellix Wilson and Adam Myers-White turned heads this spring.

So did walk-on Nick Reveiz, who broke Al Wilson’s power clean record this summer in the weight room.

The Vols also added a pair of highly touted recruits in Chris Donald and Chris Walker.

“I’m real excited to see what those stars were all about this season,” Mayo said. “We have young Chris Donald, Chris Walker, those type of guys. They look real good, but you can’t tell the talent level until you put the pads on.”

When that happens, Mayo will get a chance to prove himself again at middle linebacker, where he’s expected to take over for Mitchell.

Heading into fall camp, Mayo is listed as a co-starter there with Wilson, a 5-10, 225-pound junior.

After spring practice, UT coach Phillip Fulmer said Mayo would have to earn back his starting job.

But it’s safe to assume the job will be Mayo’s by the Sept. 1 opener at California.

From what Mayo says, too, it sounds like his days as a one-legged linebacker are over.

“I’m 110 percent,” he said. “It’s the best I’ve felt since I’ve been here.”

Drew Edwards covers University of Tennessee football. He may be reached at 865-342-6274.