Two have early lead for 2012 athlete

Through the first five games of his junior season, Melbourne (Fla.) Holy Trinity athlete Marcus Maye racked up over a 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground while recording 60 tackles on defense. Then, his season was abruptly interrupted. Late last month he ruptured his calf in a game against John Carroll.

Maye hopes to return for the end of his football season, but he won't rush things and jeopardize his basketball and track seasons. He also doesn't want to risk his future, a future that appears to be very bright. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound athlete could play football or basketball at the collegiate level, or possibly even both. It is a dilemma he is dealing with at this time.

"That I don't know. I haven't made a decision yet," Maye said about playing two sports. "I know it would be a hard task but if I feel like I can do it then I want to give it a shot. If I do end up doing it and it becomes too hectic, then I will pick either or. Right now I don't know which one I will pick."

He has plenty of options on both the football field and the basketball court. Miami, Florida State, Georgia Tech, South Florida, Auburn, Alabama, Duke, Ole Miss, Iowa, Iowa State, Georgia, West Virginia, Virginia Tech, Mississippi State, and others are showing significant interest for football. Miami, Florida State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Iowa, and South Carolina for basketball.

"A lot of schools are sending mail and calling," Maye said. "I am real happy about it. It is going pretty well right now."

Maye, who believes he could play running back or safety at the next level, is sitting at two early football offers.

"I got a full ride from Miami and a verbal from Florida State," Maye said. "Miami was my first offer. It felt good, real good. I had been working hard for it and it finally came. It is just more motivation to keep working hard and get more offers. I just know I can compete at the next level but I have to keep working hard to prove that."

So far, he has traveled to check out a few schools and he has another trip planned for late November.

"I have been down to Miami, up to Florida State, and I have been to Auburn as well as South Florida," Maye said. "I am going to Alabama over Thanksgiving break for the game against Auburn"

Maye's most recent visit to Miami was for the Florida State game. He was also regularly there over the summer.

"Miami has a lot of athletes down there," Maye said. "It is very competitive. Everybody is a top player. It is at a high-level down there at Miami. The coaches were pretty intense. They were fast-paced, everything was on the move. You could tell there was a lot of teaching going on. I like Miami because of the coaching staff down there. They were very welcoming when I was down there."

Earlier in the season, he made his way to Tallahassee to see the Seminoles host Brigham Young. He plans to return to Florida State when Jimbo Fisher's team hosts the Clemson Tigers.

"Their defense at Florida State was very good," Maye said. "I thought the defense was flying around with a lot of people making plays. I just saw myself out there at safety making plays on the defensive side of the ball. In the stands, the atmosphere of the student body and their support was very good. The football team was the big thing on campus."

When Maye visited Auburn, it wasn't for a game but he did have an opportunity to see the team working out.

"I saw them working out," Maye said. "What we do at our high school with our coach is kind of similar to what they were doing. The players were hard-working and the coaches were very welcoming when I went there. I liked the campus."

While he has 16 months before he has to sign that dotted line, Maye admits that two schools have an early lead for his services.

"As of right now, it is between Miami and Florida State, they are the two leaders right now," Maye said. "But once I go to Alabama and see how that is and then go to other places and check them out, that could all change."