Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter didn’t have to look far for inspiration. A legendary example was on the sidelines and addressed the team in his usually intense way.
“It was great,” Carter said when asked about former Tennessee linebacker Al Wilson being at practice this weekend. “I could not wait to talk to him. He actually came up to us and I was kind of starstruck.
“I see this guy during the ’98 season who is a dog…fearless. He is just somebody you want to emulate and be better than. You aspire to be better than or be just at that standard that he brought to Tennessee. It was just great being able to pick his brain and really just be around greatness like that.”
Tennessee can learn plenty from Wilson, who helped the Vols win an SEC championship in 1997 and 1998 as well as a national title in that well-known, latter year. First, Tennessee’s defense may be asked to pull more than their usual weight with a redshirt freshman quarterback, Nico Iamaleava, taking snaps on the offensive side of the ball. Wilson knows how to do that. His defense helped lighten the load on former Tennessee quarterback Tee Martin after former Vol Peyton Manning moved onto the NFL.
The Vols were loaded at linebacker when Wilson suited up for Tennessee. In addition to Wilson, the Vols started standout linebackers Raynoch Thompson and Eric Westmoreland. That’s a pretty good trio.
The Vols won’t have as much production from their linebacker crew this season as they did in 1998 because they don’t play as many linebackers, just two at a time in a nickel look. One would think it would be up to middle linebacker Keenan Pili to assume a Wilson-like leadership role given his experience and role of playing in the midst of the defense. However, those kinds of players don’t exactly grow on orange trees.
One would hope Carter, who is from Smyrna, could be an elite play-maker like Wilson, who is from Jackson. Those are also rare commodities as well. Carter, who underwent shoulder surgery last season, has shown first-year Tennessee linebacker coach William Inge enough to get the Vols excited.
“In the spring, you couldn’t see the elements of contact, because he was limited to that,” Inge said, referring to Carter’s recovering shoulder. “There were some times in the spring that I didn’t know there was a problem, seeing him move and do things like that. He just couldn’t have any contact.
“I knew from the element of him being able to move, run and change direction that we were going to get something that was going to be elite or on the top end of everything from a linebacker play standpoint. Now, you put together some of the physicality, him being able to make the plays at the point of attack from a contact standpoint.”
If there’s one thing that Carter certainly isn’t missing, it’s elite athletic ability.
“The element that he has, that is something that you can’t coach, is his speed and quickness,” Inge said. “He is elusive when he’s on the football field, almost like a cheetah. It’s great to have a linebacker who can move like that but has the body that he has from a physical nature. He’s someone we are going to be able to really utilize in the days, years and games to come.”
“Last year as a freshman, he was very youthful. He was trying to put things together, but sometimes may not have understood the whole concept of something. I think that’s what my mission was coming in, was to show him not just his job, but what the people around him were doing. That’s something that he’s kind of really been intentional about learning. Knowing what the guys around him are doing has really helped him understand his job on those given plays.”
Carter seemed set for a breakout season last year when starting middle linebacker Keenan Pili suffered a season-ending injury in the first game of the season. Then, just as he had his opportunity, Carter went down as well.
“Obviously, it was a bummer,” Carter said. “Minor setback for a major comeback. I was so grateful for having a great support staff, team and teammates. A great athletic training staff to get me back to where I am now. If not back to where I am, I feel like I am even better than what I was.
“Big kudos to them, I appreciate them so much. I appreciate my teammates and my family for supporting me not only physically but mentally throughout the entire process.”
