Why Tennessee Vols head coach Josh Heupel was in an impossible situation with Boo Carter
Sophomore defensive back Boo Carter was dismissed from the Tennessee Vols program on Sunday.
Sophomore defensive back Boo Carter was dismissed from the Tennessee Vols football program on Sunday.
The decision came after Carter, according to ESPN, didn’t show up for the Vols’ game against New Mexico State this past weekend.
“According to a source familiar with the situation, Carter didn’t show up at Neyland Stadium for the No. 23 Volunteers’ 42-9 victory against New Mexico State on Saturday,” reported ESPN’s Schlabach. “The source told ESPN that Carter had been informed by the coaching staff that he wasn’t going to play against the Aggies because of disciplinary issues. But the coaches still expected Carter to attend the homecoming game and watch from the sideline.”
Carter, who is reportedly dealing with a hip flexor injury, addressed the news via a statement on social media.
“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank The University of Tennessee Coaches, administrators and fans for a wonderful 2 years,” wrote Carter in a tweet. “Unfortunately my season has been cut short due to injury. I have decided to enter the transfer portal and I am excited about the opportunities going forward!”
Carter missed several team activities during the summer, which put his status on Tennessee’s roster in question. The former four-star recruit remained on the team following fall camp. He played at least 21 defensive snaps in every game this season before receiving zero snaps in the Vols’ loss to the Oklahoma Sooners earlier this month.
Josh Heupel was in an impossible situation with Boo Carter
It didn’t take long for some fans on social media to loudly criticize Vols head coach Josh Heupel for not kicking Carter off the team before the start of the season.
I get it. Carter clearly wasn’t “all in” with the Vols this season. He wasn’t sharp, his effort was questioned at times, and he wasn’t a difference-maker as a punt returner.
But if Heupel had kicked Carter off the team before the start of the season, there undoubtedly would have been plenty of noise from the fan base and the media questioning the decision, especially considering the state of Tennessee’s secondary this year.
Carter, after all, was a member of the All-SEC Freshman team a year ago. When he’s locked in and at his best, Carter is a dynamic player who can make a big impact on Saturdays in the SEC.
The Vols are giving up the most passing yards per game in the SEC this season. I’ve been doing this long enough to know that everyone would’ve been questioning why Heupel didn’t give Carter another chance amid the secondary’s struggles. The narrative would’ve been that Carter was the missing piece that kept the Vols from being a true national championship contender.
I’m sure Heupel and the Vols could’ve handled this entire saga better. And Carter could’ve handled it better, obviously. But I don’t think this situation was as easy to navigate as it appeared.
Ultimately, while it didn’t work out, at least fans know Tennessee did all it could to make it work with Carter. There are no “what ifs” in this situation, which is why I don’t think Heupel should face criticism for not kicking Carter off the team in July.
Tennessee Volunteers News
Tennessee Vols fans will absolutely love the way that Oklahoma celebrated beating Alabama
Tennessee Vols fans will appreciate the way Oklahoma celebrated their big win over Alabama.
