Cooper Mays will make his 2023 season debut for Tennessee as it hosts South Carolina at Neyland Stadium on Saturday, per a report fr0m ESPN’s Chris Low.

Mays underwent what head coach Josh Heupel originally called a “minor procdedure” during the preseason, leading him to miss much of camp. While he was projected to be out a “couple of weeks” by Heupel, the recovery process has taken much longer, with Low noting that it was a “hernia procedure” that held Mays out.

It’s a promising report for a Volunteers team that is 3-1 and looking to keep themselves in contention for the SEC East. While the Vols beat UTSA a week ago, they were handed a 29-16 loss against Florida during Week 3.

Mays, entering his 5th season on Rocky Top, has developed into one of the top centers in the country. He started every game in 2022 and entered the 2023 season as an All-SEC 3rd Team pick.

Kickoff between the Vols and Gamecocks is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on the SEC Network.