As P.J. Fleck deals with the NCAA fallout of a transfer from his old football program, he’s lost one at his new one.
On his personal Twitter account Friday, Connor Mayes announced that he has decided to leave Minnesota and continue his collegiate playing career at an undetermined elsewhere. The offensive lineman wrote that "[a]fter long reflection and many discussions with my family, I have decided it is in my best interest to leave” the Gophers.
Mayes, whose father and grandfather played football at TCU, added that Fleck “is an amazing man and coach,” and that “I have enjoyed this semester getting to know” him. Not enough, however, to remain.To my Gopher Family. pic.twitter.com/lZ1at66VXE
— Connor Mayes (@gophermayes55) March 10, 2017
A three-star member of Minnesota’s 2014 recruiting class, Mayes was rated as the No. 5 center in the country and the No. 57 player at any position in the state of Texas.
Mayes played in eight games his true freshman season, then played in all 26 the next two seasons. He started 15 of those 26 games at guard, including six in 2016.
Mayes becomes the second starting lineman to leave the Gophers the last two months, joining center Tyler Moore. The rising junior announced in mid-January that he would be transferring to Oklahoma State.