Temple University Athletics
Kickin' It With Tyler Mayes
8.21.15 | Football
PHILADELPHIA - In college football, there isn't normally a lot of fanfare for special team members. Those with the legs for kicking and punting often go unnoticed until they are needed in a key spot. Often kicker highlights focus on misses, blocks, and weak attempts at tackling. Clutch kicks or punts receive praise but are soon forgotten; mistakes living longer than successes.
Temple University has seen their specialists recently win acclaim for their actions on and off the gridiron. One of those is redshirt senior Tyler Mayes, who has received numerous awards for his commitment to scholarship and community service. He enters his final season in competition for all three specialist positions, placekicker, punter, and kickoff. This past spring, he was the male recipient for the Temple Teammates Community Service Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
Months later, Mayes still seems flattered and surprised he was selected for this prestigious honor. He noted the team has a group commitment to community service, with teammates working on projects together. His portfolio of work has included coaching at area youth football camps, working the routes for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and even volunteering with Be the Match, the national bone marrow donor organization. Like many of his teammates, he relishes his chance to mentor young players and grow the game of football. "Working the youth football camps in the area, we give the kids somebody to look up to, we teach them some football, and we get to have fun ourselves."
Mayes grew up outside of Philadelphia in Downingtown and wasn't initially thinking of going to school in the city. He punted his way to an all-Southeastern PA selection in 2010 as Downingtown East won the Ches-Mont Conference. He looked at various universities but felt a difference when he visited Temple. "There was a certain atmosphere at Temple that felt different than other places. I can tell there's something special being here, being in my own backyard. Being in the city wasn't originally what I wanted to do but once I took a visit I felt this is somewhere I can see myself and be a part of the city." Since arriving on campus, Mayes has excelled in the classroom and proven to be a model student-athlete. He has made Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the conference all-academic team every year since 2012.
On the field, Mayes has become the Swiss Army knife for head coach Matt Rhule on special teams. He has performed spot duty on all three of the kicking specialist duties in 2013 and 2014. Last season he connected on a 25-yard field goal against Vanderbilt and a 26-yarder against Delaware State before punting against Memphis and kicking an extra point in the finale at Tulane. He keeps the challenge in perspective. "It can be tough to play all those different positions but they kind of go together, being a kicker and a punter. In the offseason we do all the things everyone else does but keep our flexibility in those small muscles and the hip flexor." Mayes noted some of his teammates also prepare to play multiple positions and he shares their mentality to be ready at any time. His former teammate Brandon McManus exemplifies that in the NFL, as he handles juggles kickoff, placekicking, and punting duties with the Denver Broncos.
Mayes enter this season as one of ten redshirt seniors on the Owls, the last remnants from the 2011 team that went 9-4 and brought Temple their first bowl victory in over 30 years. He has seen the transition process to Coach Rhule and how his teammates grew into leadership positions alongside him. "Over these past years, we've really grown. I think my senior class has done a decent job building a certain competitive nature, having the desire to win, and building the reputation of this school and this program." Many of the seniors know this is a year with high expectations but know it also means a lot for the program moving forward. They'll have a chance to make history on multiple occasions during the 2015 campaign.
In football, kickers and punters sometimes deal with teasing and negative stereoptypes. Mayes admits that some of these jests have some truth to them. While he notes he and his fellow specialists do tend to have it different then the other players at practice, they are always thinking about the game and know when to focus. He certainly doesn't like the idea that he and his brethren are not hard workers. Anyone who looks at Mayes' accomplishments on and off the field cannot suggest that of him. He will graduate with his degree in mechanical engineering and great memories from his time on North Broad.
Temple University has seen their specialists recently win acclaim for their actions on and off the gridiron. One of those is redshirt senior Tyler Mayes, who has received numerous awards for his commitment to scholarship and community service. He enters his final season in competition for all three specialist positions, placekicker, punter, and kickoff. This past spring, he was the male recipient for the Temple Teammates Community Service Award, given to student-athletes who have demonstrated leadership qualities in the area of community service, inspiring others to engage in similar selfless civic endeavors for the purpose of improving the quality of life for those in the local community.
Months later, Mayes still seems flattered and surprised he was selected for this prestigious honor. He noted the team has a group commitment to community service, with teammates working on projects together. His portfolio of work has included coaching at area youth football camps, working the routes for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure, and even volunteering with Be the Match, the national bone marrow donor organization. Like many of his teammates, he relishes his chance to mentor young players and grow the game of football. "Working the youth football camps in the area, we give the kids somebody to look up to, we teach them some football, and we get to have fun ourselves."
Mayes grew up outside of Philadelphia in Downingtown and wasn't initially thinking of going to school in the city. He punted his way to an all-Southeastern PA selection in 2010 as Downingtown East won the Ches-Mont Conference. He looked at various universities but felt a difference when he visited Temple. "There was a certain atmosphere at Temple that felt different than other places. I can tell there's something special being here, being in my own backyard. Being in the city wasn't originally what I wanted to do but once I took a visit I felt this is somewhere I can see myself and be a part of the city." Since arriving on campus, Mayes has excelled in the classroom and proven to be a model student-athlete. He has made Athletic Director's Honor Roll and the conference all-academic team every year since 2012.
On the field, Mayes has become the Swiss Army knife for head coach Matt Rhule on special teams. He has performed spot duty on all three of the kicking specialist duties in 2013 and 2014. Last season he connected on a 25-yard field goal against Vanderbilt and a 26-yarder against Delaware State before punting against Memphis and kicking an extra point in the finale at Tulane. He keeps the challenge in perspective. "It can be tough to play all those different positions but they kind of go together, being a kicker and a punter. In the offseason we do all the things everyone else does but keep our flexibility in those small muscles and the hip flexor." Mayes noted some of his teammates also prepare to play multiple positions and he shares their mentality to be ready at any time. His former teammate Brandon McManus exemplifies that in the NFL, as he handles juggles kickoff, placekicking, and punting duties with the Denver Broncos.
Mayes enter this season as one of ten redshirt seniors on the Owls, the last remnants from the 2011 team that went 9-4 and brought Temple their first bowl victory in over 30 years. He has seen the transition process to Coach Rhule and how his teammates grew into leadership positions alongside him. "Over these past years, we've really grown. I think my senior class has done a decent job building a certain competitive nature, having the desire to win, and building the reputation of this school and this program." Many of the seniors know this is a year with high expectations but know it also means a lot for the program moving forward. They'll have a chance to make history on multiple occasions during the 2015 campaign.
In football, kickers and punters sometimes deal with teasing and negative stereoptypes. Mayes admits that some of these jests have some truth to them. While he notes he and his fellow specialists do tend to have it different then the other players at practice, they are always thinking about the game and know when to focus. He certainly doesn't like the idea that he and his brethren are not hard workers. Anyone who looks at Mayes' accomplishments on and off the field cannot suggest that of him. He will graduate with his degree in mechanical engineering and great memories from his time on North Broad.
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