Boo Carter is not going to beat out Nico Iamaleava as Tennessee's starting quarterback, nor is he vying for any kicking or punting opportunities with Josh Heupel's Volunteers.
Listed at 5-foot-11, 185 pounds, the former Bradley Central standout is too small to play on either line of scrimmage, and linebacker might be a slight stretch as well. Everything else, however, is fair game for an early enrollee who would love to have multiple touches on autumn Saturdays no matter how they come about.
"We like to score touchdowns, too," Vols fourth-year defensive coordinator Tim Banks said with a smile Tuesday in a news conference, "so hopefully we can get the ball in his hands as well. Obviously Coach Heupel was super excited to get him. We knew he was very versatile and that there are a lot of things he can do.
"Right now, he's concentrating on defense and trying to win some playing time or win a job."
Tennessee went through its second of 15 spring practices Tuesday and will take Wednesday off before resuming Thursday.
Carter performed a lot of jobs last fall for Damon Floyd's Bears, who went 13-1 and advanced to the Class 6A state semifinals. He racked up 1,795 all-purpose yards and totaled 27 touchdowns, with his impressive 55 catches for 911 yards matched by his 102 tackles and two interceptions, and he also had two returns for touchdowns on special teams.
"I expect to be challenged," Carter said Tuesday of the natural uptick in competition, "but at the same time, my game can play, and I know how to work it like that."
Carter in two short days has already seen time at safety, the "star" position, and as both a kickoff returner and a punt returner. Given the number of departures from last year in many of those areas, there are no shortages in opportunities.
He didn't hesitate in naming 5-10, 165-pound junior Squirrel White as the most challenging receiver he's lining up against in practice.
"He's pretty fast," Carter said. "Me practicing against him and going against the other teams' slot receivers probably won't be any different, but I feel like he's a little better than the other receivers, because he's smaller and quicker."
Ranked by Rivals.com as the nation's No. 39 prospect overall in the 2024 signing cycle, Carter played his junior season at Chattanooga Christian, where he compiled 678 rushing yards, 780 receiving yards and 28 total touchdowns on a Chargers team that went 10-3 and reached the Division II-AA semifinals. The scholarship offers started coming and never stopped, with Carter picking the Vols over 39 other Division I programs, including eight Southeastern Conference schools.
Carter arrived in Knoxville this past December and went through workouts for the Citrus Bowl, and he has appeared to have made the most of that time and the first two spring practices as well.
"He's been good so far," Banks said. "It's a lot for a freshman, but getting here early and getting acclimated has really helped him. As we continue to put more on his plate, we'll see how he progresses. Right now, I'm super excited about him.
"We love his skill set and his athleticism and his toughness."
No small remark
Banks did not shy away from a question concerning Tennessee's defensive line that returns the likes of Dominic Bailey, Bryson Eason, Omarr Norman-Lott, Elijah Simmons, Omari Thomas and Tyre West, along with the edge-rushing talents of Joshua Josephs and James Pearce Jr.
"We should really have the best defensive line in the country," Banks said. "I feel really strongly about their attitude and the determination that these guys have played with. I'm not just talking about the football. They're great guys and great human beings."
Technology task
Although most of the discussion regarding the helmet communication that will be used this season and is being tested this spring has focused on the offense, Banks talked about that technology and how it could relate to his side of the ball.
"Time will tell, but we do see some opportunities there," he said. "Sometimes you might see something and want to relay it, and you haven't had that ability until now. We're kind of working our way through it.
"Today was just our second day messing with it. You don't want to say too much or too little, and we're kind of working through it that way."
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com.