Josh Heupel is entering his fourth season as Tennessee football’s head coach. The defensive secondary has struggled in the first three seasons of his tenure. Heupel is looking to change that with additions to the recruiting trail and the transfer portal.
One big addition Heupel made to the secondary is true Freshman Boo Carter, who enrolled early to go through his first college Spring camp. This has proven to be very beneficial for all involved as Carter has had the opportunity to learn the defense early, while Tennessee gets a closer look at the player they’re getting in Carter.
It seems like neither side is disappointed so far. Carter has impressed to the point where he might just earn an opportunity to get a spot in the secondary’s rotation this Fall. DB Coach Willie Martinez and Special Teams Coordinator Mike Ekeler have been praising Carter over the past week ahead of the 2024 Orange & White Game.
Tennessee wide receiver Squirrel White also had some high praise for Carter, calling him a special already in his short time on Rocky Top. “Boo Carter is special. He’s like a playmaker out there flying to the ball. Rerouting us and stuff like that. Making good tackles.”
Carter won’t be the only freshman looking to impress the coaches and Vol Nation on Saturday. The Vols have a handful of first-year players looking to make an impact this year, starting with the Orange & White Game.
Tennessee’s annual Orange & White Game will take place on Saturday, April 13, at 1 PM ET. The capacity will be limited to 10,000 fans. Still, the university will have Vol Village open so that everyone can enjoy the Spring game and the Tennessee vs. LSU baseball game on Saturday night.
Tennessee State linebacker Monroe Beard is hitting the NCAA transfer portal after a standout season in Nashville. The Chattanooga, TN native is hitting the NCAA transfer portal for the second time in his collegiate career, which started back in 2018. Beard had a monster season at Tennessee State, coming up with 95 tackles in just nine games, four of them for loss. That included five consecutive 11-plus total tackle games and 33 tackles in a two-game stretch against UT Martin and Kennessaw State. He set a single-game TSU record for tackles in a game with 19 against UT Martin (9/30) and won OVC Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance. Beard was named 2023 All Big South-OVC First Team Defense following the season despite missing the final two games. Monroe Beard started his college career at UAPB in 2018 where he redshirted. Beard made his impact felt as a redshirt freshman as he recorded 37 tackles, 2.0 sacks, 4.5 tackles for loss, team-high three fumble recoveries and two pass breakups. He finished with 138 career total tackles at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, including a (then) career-high with 78 tackles (eight-and-a-half tackles for loss) and five sacks during the fall of 2021. Now Beard will try his luck in the NCAA transfer portal, leaving a big hole behind at Tennessee State.
Read more at: https://www.newsobserver.com/sports/college/article287570820.html#storylink=cpy
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