The Tennessee Vols have been handicapped by the NCAA for a crucial early season game. Senior linebacker Arion Carter was recently suspended for three games for accepting a $427 flight during the NFL pre-draft process, an expense he paid back upon returning to college.

The suspension was reduced to two games on appeal, but the Vols will have to take on Georgia Tech in a key road game in Week 2 without one of their best players on the roster on the field.

It was a result that head coach Josh Heupel called “bullshit” on Tuesday during the opening statement of his press conference. And that exact expletive was what Carter’s position mate Edwin Spillman also chose to use to describe the situation.

Spillman followed that with a message about how he and his fellow linebackers are approaching Carter’s absence.

Tennessee linebacker Edwin Spillman says of Arion Carter: ‘we’ve got his back’

“I think it’s complete BS, with everything that happened,” Spillman said. “But we as linebackers, we’re his boys. We’ve got his back, and we’re just moving forward.”

And make no mistake. While losing Carter’s experience and ability against the Yellow Jackets will hurt, perhaps no position on the Vols’ roster is deeper and more talented than the Vols’ linebacker room (with perhaps the exception of wide receiver).

Spillman is a rising star himself, being named a freshman All-American last year. He led both Tennessee and the SEC for freshman in total tackles with 81. He added 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, and an interception.

Tennessee also has senior Jeremiah Telander and Penn State transfer Amare Campbell as experienced and very capable options. Campbell appeared in all 13 games for the Nittany Lions last year and had 103 total tackles and three sacks.

It’s never easy to lose a leader and a talent like Carter, but if any team can absorb the loss and carry on, it’s this year’s Tennessee team.