I know what its like to lose a parent young, my dad died when I was 20, just a few years ago still, and having been in it before the one thing you learn is that terrible things happen. Most times, for no good reason. But very few of us are blessed with the minds to attend a good college, and even fewer of us are blessed with the physical tools to play a sport as well as he has, let alone on the D1 college level. And especially not from small towns in East Tennessee. I know this having grown up 35 minutes from Coalfield and playing them in every sport since middle school.
It saddens me knowing exactly what it feels like and seeing someone with so much potential making a very bad decision based on emotions that do get better. You take time off, yes. You get better mentally, yes. But most parents would gladly give their lives to set their children up for life, and being born with the physical ability to play D1 football in the south is as good of a head start as you will ever get, and that's saying you're just good enough to make a scholarship spot and get free college and a large portion of the female students.
I really don't think this has much to do with his mother at this stage. When you grow up in a small town you want to do one of two things. Stay forever or get the hell out by any means necessary. I think he's just the type who wants to stay. Because if it's about honoring someone you've lost, you go out into the world and make a name for yourself by being the best possible person you can and using every bit of God Given ability you possibly can to make the world a better place and make them proud of you. You disrespect them, and the person who gave them to you, by not using your talents to the fullest. Most of us never use our full ability, but few of us have motivation like losing a loved one or growing up poor, and some of us hide from the burden when it is thrust upon us anyway.
Hopefully I'm wrong, but I've seen enough small town syndrome and tragedy in my few years to have a master's degree by this stage. I wish him the best of luck, but I fear the path of regret will be far worse the further along he goes.