After listening to Tennessee Vols linebackers coach William Inge speak to the media on Tuesday, I think it's fair for UT fans to expect a breakout season from sophomore linebacker Arion Carter.
Carter, 6-foot-1/234 lbs from Smyrna, TN, is a former four-star recruit who was heavily pursued during the recruiting process by Nick Saban and Alabama.
Last season, Carter played in eight games as a true freshman for the Volunteers as he continued to learn the nuances of the linebacker position (Carter was primarily a running back before switching to linebacker in high school).
Entering the 2024 season, it sounds like Carter is ready to make more of an impact for the Vols thanks to his elite athleticism and the time he spends in the film room.
“I think the biggest jump that I’ve just seen overall from Arion Carter is just his level of preparation," said Inge on Tuesday. "You’ll see he’s someone where he will be the first person in the building and during camp, he stayed here everyday. He was in the film [room] when we left, he was in the film room sending text messages about things that were going on during that particular day, or things that could have been going on or happening for the next day.
"To see his level of preparation and to see the things that he’s doing for the group and for the team and for the unit on defense, that’s what you want to see. So seeing his growth is probably one of the better things that I’ve been able to see. When you see him run, it shows up immediately that he’s someone who can run fast and hit hard and that’s what we love to see.”
While Carter's athleticism is a big reason why he has a chance to be an elite SEC linebacker, it's his attention to detail that gives him a chance to be a superstar.
"Just the conversations that he (Carter) and I have, we’re working in the film room and that’s a little bit where he’s taken a lot of the big jumps," explained Inge. "Just because now he’s understanding how to look at the film, what he’s looking at, what he’s looking for, what’s the situation that’s going on and presenting itself in the field. So that’s where he’s really kind of matured himself here over the last seven months."
Carter told reporters on Tuesday that taking things he's learned while watching film and then seeing it translate on the field has given him some added confidence as he enters his second season at Tennessee.
"Taking things from the classroom to the field, being able to execute and see yourself making the play, and going out to do it gives you natural confidence as it is," said Carter. "One thousand hours of doing it over and over again has gotten me to this point. I feel like there are a lot of things we need to work on, but we are a lot better than what we were, including myself."
Carter has a chance to be a special player for the Vols. Tennessee fans saw a hint of his elite talent last season, but it sounds like he's truly in store for a breakout season in 2024.
Related: Chattanooga coach references Tennessee's Jim Mora controversy from last season ahead of season-opener against Vols
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