Tennessee Vols true freshman continues to receive high praise from coaches
Tennessee Vols true freshman linebacker Arion Carter didn't arrive at UT until the summer, but that hasn't stopped him from quickly making an impact this fall. Carter, who is still somewhat new to playing linebacker after mostly playing running back in high school, has already forced his way into UT's linebacker rotation (Keenan Pili's injury, […]
Tennessee Vols true freshman linebacker Arion Carter didn't arrive at UT until the summer, but that hasn't stopped him from quickly making an impact this fall.
Carter, who is still somewhat new to playing linebacker after mostly playing running back in high school, has already forced his way into UT's linebacker rotation (Keenan Pili's injury, to be fair, helped create some opportunities for more playing time for the Vols' young linebackers).
Against South Carolina, Carter was on the field for one of the most important sequences of a game. Tennessee stopped South Carolina on a key fourth down in the third quarter (after SC had a second-and-2 situation) which prevented the Gamecocks from gaining any momentum during a key part of the game.
On Tuesday, Vols defensive coordinator Tim Banks was asked about Carter's continued development and his relentless work ethic.
"It's tremendous because he is that kid," said Banks. "He's a kid that has wanted to be great — all the way back to the recruiting process. Every kid thinks they'll just show up and take over with their athleticism. But the reality of it is, at this level, it's the small margins that you're going to win in. That's obviously the film study, taking care of your body, doing all of those little things. And he's really committed to that lifestyle at this point. We're very pleased with where he is. And we know that he's really just scratching the surface with how good he can truly be."
Carter's quick rise up the depth chart has allowed Tennessee's starting linebackers to play fewer snaps during games, which will help keep those players fresh for the stretch run of the season.
That's something that Vols linebacker Aaron Beasley pointed out on Tuesday.
"I like it," said Beasley when asked about being subbed out more during games. "Anytime I get to the 60, 70 play range during a game, it's not good for the body. So I like it. I think it helps us all stay fresh."
Tennessee's defense is really starting to round into form under Tim Banks. And the rise of players like Carter is a big reason why.
The scary thing for the rest of the SEC is that Carter is just scratching the surface of how good he can be.
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