Butch Jones is struggling to convince recruits that the future is bright at Tennessee.
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On Tuesday morning, Cade Mays, a five-star offensive tackle from Knoxville tweeted that he was re-opening his commitment, saying, "This decision is one of the hardest decisions I have made in my life."
Mays is a 6-foot-6, 318-pounder from nearby Knoxville Catholic High School, just 10 miles down the road from Neyland Stadium. He committed to Tennessee more than two years ago and hasn't wavered, participating in Junior Day and taking repeated unofficial visits to campus. However, as the Vols limp through a miserable season and Butch Jones faces a likely dismissal, the nation's second-ranked offensive tackle decommitted.
Mays becomes the ninth 2018 Tennessee recruit to decommit, all of whom have come since January, including three four- or five-star prospects in the last month. In early October, four days after the Vols' 41-0 home loss to Georgia, four-star safety Brandon Harris pulled back his pledge. The 6-foot, 205-pounder from Chattanooga committed to Vanderbilt on Oct. 24.
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Ten days after Harris' decommitment, four-star running back Lyn-J Dixon also decommitted. The sixth-ranked all-purpose back made the announcement during an unofficial visit to Alabama. He also has offers from Clemson (where he's unofficially visited twice), Florida and Georgia, among others.
Even with those three decommitments, Tennessee still has the No. 4 class in the SEC and No. 13 class in the nation, thanks to seven four-star commits, including quarterback Adrian Martinez from Fresno, Calif.
"Obviously it’s not a good thing to hear rumors about coach Butch Jones." Martinez told HERO Sports two weeks ago, "However, I have faith in him and the coaching staff. I believe they’ll finish this year strong and remain as the coaches there."
Since late August, Jones and the Vols have four decommitments, or the same number of wins.
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