Arion Carter Getting His 1st Chance To Set Up

Tennessee Volunteers inside linebacker Arion Carter should be getting much more of a role after fellow linebacker Keenan Pili was sidelined for a few weeks with an injury.

A major difference in week one was that Tennessee's defense came to play. Yes, they were going against Virginia, a major talent discrepancy, but they were still facing a Power-5 opponent. BYU transfer inside linebacker Keenan Pili was a difference maker, flying around and shutting down the Cavaliers. Unfortunately, Pili suffered an upper-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup for a few weeks.

Now, Tennessee must pivot to a younger linebacker in hopes of no drop-off. Elijah Herring should take most of Pili's reps, as he's next in line. However, we can't discount seeing more of true freshman linebacker Arion Carter, a dynamic athlete with the high school experience to play early in this system.

Carter was the No. 183 prospect in the 2023 signing class, and the tape backs that up. The former Army All-American was a state qualifier in the 300-meter dash during high school and has even better lateral agility. When he works downhill in the run game, Carter often delivers jarring hits that tend to cause chaos. Tailbacks must account for him every play, as he was often brought on blitzes through the A-gap in high school.

Tennessee defensive coordinator Tim Banks has simplified things for his linebackers: the faster you play, the better. The Vols didn't play with much control last year, though they did play quickly. Carter has years of experience processing things on the fly and should be cerebrally ready for 40-45 snaps per game at the college level. Another thing working in his favor is that Tennessee is still in the install period: he can play fast and make a few freshman mistakes against Austin Peay without it meaning too much. The faster they get him ready, the faster he can work toward reaching that high on-field ceiling. Many expect him to make a big impact in year one, but it could be coming sooner than everyone expected.

Getting guys like Herring and Carter reps on Saturday will be crucial for this coaching staff. SEC staffs will exploit the Vols in the RPO game if these young players aren't ready for action. The next few weeks will be very telling for what this 2023 defense can accomplish.

Tennessee Volunteers ILB Arion Carter during spring practice on March 21st, 2023, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (Photo by Brianna Paciorka of the News Sentinel)

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