When linebackers coach William Inge got to Tennessee fresh off coaching Washington football in the national title game, he had a clear message for his new players.
He wanted them to have “speed, speed, speed, speed, speed, fast, quick, speed.”
That’s what Inge said when he asked to list the top traits that he values in a linebacker during his first press conference at UT in March.
Arion Carter got the message.
A year earlier, the four-star prospect from Smyrna had signed with Tennessee as an explosive, speedy linebacker – just the type that Inge should love.
But during his 2023 freshman season, Carter had bulked up to 240 pounds to handle the physicality of SEC football. He wanted to play immediately, so he strengthened his body to the point of being almost uncomfortably thick.
It worked well enough. Carter had 17 tackles in eight games, playing defense and special teams as a freshman. But he suffered a season-ending shoulder injury, and linebackers coach Brian Jean-Marie left for Michigan.
Inge declined to follow coach Kalen DeBoer from Washington to Alabama. And when he arrived at UT, he quickly searched his linebacking unit for his favorite trait – speed.
That gave Carter permission to trim down to 225 pounds and prioritize his speed. And offseason rehab from a season-ending shoulder injury gave Carter the opportunity to drop the weight.
“Being at that (heavy) weight (last season), obviously I felt strong. And I was able to physically be the part,” Carter said. “But we’re in a game now where you’ve got to run sideline to sideline. I’ve got to be able to cover receivers, running backs and tight ends.
“I feel like me being at a smaller weight is a big difference, like night and day for me.”
How Arion Carter impressed coach past midnight
Carter could not participate in contract drills in the spring due to his injury. So in preseason practices this month, Inge is getting his first full look at a potential playmaker in UT’s defense.
Needless to say, Inge likes what he’s seen so far from Carter.
“I knew from him being able to move, being able to run, being able to change direction, we were going to get something that was elite or on the top end of everything from a linebacker play standpoint,” Inge said.
“Now you put together some of the physicality and him being able to make the plays at the point of attack from a contact standpoint, you can see he’s going to be one of the elite linebackers that you all will be talking about in the days to come in, years to come.”
That’s lofty praise for a sophomore who’s never started a game in the SEC. But Inge isn’t judging Carter on his speed alone.
Over the spring and summer, Inge started noticing Carter’s car parked at the football facility past midnight. He sent him text messages, making sure he didn’t have car trouble.
But Inge was delighted to learn that Carter was simply staying after hours in the linebacker room to study film, even later than coaches.
“(Carter is) really taking the football preparedness to new heights into a new level and that’s what we want,” Inge said. “That’s how you become elite at this position.”
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Keenan Pili is locked in at starting middle linebacker. The 2023 BYU transfer returned for his seventh year in college football for one last shot to lead the Vols defense.
Carter is competing with junior Kalib Perry, sophomore Jeremiah Telander, redshirt freshman Jalen Smith and freshman Edwin Spillman at weakside linebacker.
Inge wants a deep rotation at linebacker. He said that was a key factor in his Washington linebackers playing well late in the season to reach the national title game.
“I want to be able to play five (or) six guys so we can give everyone a role and be fresh at the end of the football game,” Inge said. “That’s why we were in the position to go play in the national championship game because our guys were not worn out at the end of the season.
“We want to able to have a good healthy rotation where guys don’t get over-repped. But also know that your stars are going to get the money plays.”
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If Carter has truly regained his elite speed and learned his position through late-night hours of film study, UT hopes he will thrive in those “money plays.”
Adam Sparks is the Tennessee football beat reporter. Email [email protected]. X, formerly known as Twitter@AdamSparks. Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
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Publish date : 2024-08-06 23:00:00
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