All aboard the Mays train
Slouched comfortably in one of the dozen chairs found inside the offensive line’s video room, Devante Mays folds his hands across his chest, offering an occasional glance at the exit sign.
Mays isn’t much of a talker.
The raw power and explosiveness that’s earned him a premiere position in Utah State’s crowded backfield lays in wait beneath a stoic, silent surface. Off the field, the only indication of Mays’ violent rushing ability is his sheer mass. Mays is a mountain of an athlete — particularly for a running back — but his calm demeanor suggests he’d prefer to speak with a quick head nod and a smile than with lengthy exposition.
Describing the keys to his success last season, the Texas native sums up his in-game mindset in the most Devante Mays way possible:
“Aggressive.”
Confident. Precise. Accurate. Mays speaks the way he plays, and certainly practices what he preaches.
There’s nothing complicated about the way Mays runs. A straight line from the backfield to the end zone seems only fitting for the no-nonsense senior, personified by the Aggies’ opening score against Fresno last season. The memorable run resulted in the supercharged rusher accelerating through two defenders, past the corner of the end zone and over a mobile gate typically used to keep photographers off the field — and to keep the players on it.
“I think that’s my style, I’m more of a bruiser type of guy,” Mays said matter-of-factly. “I’d rather run inside than outside.”
In a conference loaded with several backs considered to be special players, Mays separates himself not just with earth-shaking big-play potential, but also by the rare ability to almost single-handedly turn each game around. His monumental effort in last season’s conference showdown versus Nevada was the difference between a school-record fourth straight bowl game and what would’ve been a miserably underwhelming 5-7 season.
Trailing the Wolf Pack 27-7 in the third quarter of Utah State’s final conference matchup, Mays took a handoff and burst through Nevada’s defensive line, spinning away from what should’ve been a sure tackle en route to a 32-yard gain.
That was the spark.
The tide turned, energy found its way back into the previously dormant Maverik Stadium crowd, Mays reached paydirt once and then again less than three minutes later and after a miraculous fumble recovery in UNR’s end zone, the clock hit straight zeroes with the Aggies on top 31-27.
All told, Mays amassed 133 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries (not to mention leaving the imprint of his facemask in the abdomen of several would-be tacklers). His punishing style changed the outlook of the Aggies’ season, all while raising his expectations for his final year.
“I feel like it’s something I have to do, not for myself but to keep the tradition going, having a breakout year,” Mays said. “I always personally have a goal of 1,000 yards and ten yards per carry, but I stepped it up after this last season after realizing that I can do way better.”
Mays’ new goal is 1,500 yards on the season. No Aggie has so much as sniffed that mark since Kerwynn Williams in 2012, the year Williams catapulted himself into the record books with 1,512 yards on the ground — it was the fourth-best season by a running back in program history.
The tendency to expect more out of himself and his teammates shows as Mays suddenly breaks character, volunteering his opinion on last season.
“It kind of fuels me, and I’m pretty sure it fuels everyone else,” Mays said. “No one wants to be a loser. You’ve got to keep that in the back of your head. I felt like we could’ve been Mountain West champions, especially looking at a Boise team that was ranked 20-whatever.”
Mays allows a smirk to creep across his generally expressionless face as he casually references last year’s obvious bright spot, a 52-26 deconstruction of the division rival Broncos in front of a gleeful home crowd, but it fades as quickly as it appeared.
“This year we need to come together as a team, as a family, and play as a team,” Mays said. “I think there was some separation last year. I think that’ll be key, fighting for each other.”
Widespread inexperience threatens to cause a down year for an Aggie team already trying to reclaim its upward trajectory after a troubling losing season. Mays won’t soon forget about last year’s squandered chance at a Mountain West crown. Instead, he and his teammates are rediscovering chemistry, leadership and the ability to cheer each other on.
While breaking off big runs gave teammates an emotional spark to rally around in 2015, Mays’ offseason heroics appear to be taking the same effect. After a vine of the former powerlifter’s 420-lb bench press circulated social media, teammates lost their collective minds over the running back’s raw strength — though Mays predictably kept his cool.
“It’s nothin’ to me really, I’ve always loved working out, always loved lifting,” Mays said. “It’s just not a big deal to me. Other people might be like ‘Wow, how do you do that?’ or ‘That’s awesome’ but — I mean, I think it is awesome — but I always want to do more.”
For a playstyle that relies on toppling defenders and picking up yards after contact, it makes sense Mays would be the type to put in the work in the weightroom without complaint. Mays, still with his hands interlocked across his chest as if the ability to lift a medium-sized piano was nothing out of the ordinary, recalls his days at Blinn College being significantly less demanding.
“It’s a big change coming from JuCo to here, adapting to everything,” Mays said. “The speed of the game is faster, the tempo is so much faster. I don’t even think we had a tempo at my JuCo you know? We would just run a play, after that you kind of look and wave and kind of take your time but here it’s ‘hurry up hurry up hurry up!’. You’ve got to be in top condition to do that every play.”
Between practice, the gym, reviewing game tape and a full course load, Mays’ free time is at a premium, but his favorite pastime is unsurprising.
“I play Madden a lot, that’s all I do,” laughed Mays. “I’ve been beaten before, but my teammates don’t like playing me because they say I know the glitches of the game — which I do. Don’t always use them though because they don’t like it.”
Senior defensive end Ricky Ali’ifua, the lone returning starter on the Aggies’ front seven, nominated JuCo transfer wideout Alex Byers as the biggest threat to Mays’ dominance on the virtual field, having beaten him “multiple times.” But when it comes to living, breathing football, Mays handles the threat of head-hunting defenders like it’s just another day at the office.
Mays isn’t crushed by the expectations or the pressure of potentially being the new face of Utah State football, isn’t overly concerned with what defenses draw up in attempts to rein him in and doesn’t feel the need to hype himself up with an extreme pregame routine. All he needs is a pair of headphones, and a little time to think.
“I don’t like to get too pumped up or emotional,” Mays said. “I just like to chill and listen to music, thinking about great things like scoring and running over guys.”
Devante Mays never was much of a talker.