It’s one thing to be Tennessee’s rising sophomore star. It’s another to nearly lose that status before fall camp began. Boo Carter, the Vols’ freshman All-American DB and arguably their top returning defensive player, learned the hard way this summer that talent only takes you so far. It’s discipline that closes the deal. By mid-July, he already had several no-shows, skipping team activities and missing workouts. Then came the boiling point.

On July 16, according to CBS Sports, an altercation with teammates ended with Boo Carter vanishing from the team. Sources were quick to clarify this wasn’t about NIL like Nico Iamaleava‘s case. This was about Tennessee’s leadership council deciding their young star needed a reality check. Because in today’s game, missing time is more than just a bad look. And especially for him who wishes to play both ways. 

When ESPN’s Chris Low joined That SEC Podcast on August 8, he didn’t mince words. “If you’re going to play both ways in today’s era of college football, you better be there for every workout, every practice, you better get as much time as you can in with the quarterbacks throwing,” he said. With App transfer Joey Aguilar set to hold the reins at QB, the analyst stressed chemistry if he wants offensive snaps too. “Because remember, if it is Aguilar, he’s already new. So, you’ve got to sort of form and develop that chemistry with your receivers. So, it doesn’t help,” he said, warning that Boo Carter’s absence could cost him the Travis Hunter-style role he’s been chasing. 

When Boo Carter finally returned for fall camp, it wasn’t with the same swagger he carried last season. On his first day back, he was mostly separated from teammates, stuck in individual work instead of the full defensive unit. During stretches, he stayed with injured players, away from the main group, and skipped offensive reps entirely. In the short media viewing window, he took limited tackling and coverage drills with DBs, a far cry from the two-way role he’d been lobbying for. 

Adam Sparks of The Knoxville News Sentinel laid it plainly, “He had been ostracized, sort of excluded from the team, for a week,” he told 104.5 The Zone’s The Buck Reising Show. “It’s weird to say, but I think embarrassment was almost part of the punishment.” He also mentioned Boo Carter’s heavy conditioning work and even visits to a children’s hospital to give him perspective. This was a humbling twist for a player who, as a true freshman, posted 38 tackles, one sack, one interception, and 198 punt return yards. Numbers that made him one of the SEC’s most electric young defenders. But fortunately for him and the Vols, he’s making progress. 

Boo Carter’s two-way role remains in limbo

By this week, Boo Carter’s presence in full team drills marked progress but with an asterisk. HC Josh Heupel made it clear that “Boo is a part of our team here… There’s some things that he’s got to accomplish to get back on the field with us,” he added. “And don’t have a set timeline on that.” He mentioned that the leadership council has been directly involved in the process. For a player who flirted with the transfer portal last winter to push for more offensive snaps, this is a much humbler road.

And Joey Aguilar’s arrival only tightens the window. Chemistry between quarterback and receiver is built in the summer grind, not midseason. Every rep Boo Carter missed in July makes it harder for Josh Heupel to justify forcing him into the offensive game plan early. Adam Sparks predicts Carter might not get a shot at offense in 2025. “It seems pretty far right now,” he said. “I think he’ll probably, if he behaves himself.” Well, things could turn bright fast if he keeps his head down and works.

His defensive role, however, remains crucial. Boo Carter is the frontrunner for Tennessee’s STAR position. A hybrid slot corner role, where his playmaking instincts could be the difference in early SEC showdowns. Retaining him is still a major win for the Vols, but the ultimatum couldn’t be clearer. Fall in line or fall out of favor. Tennessee opens its season Aug. 30 against Syracuse in Atlanta. Whether he lines up as a two-way weapon or watches from the sideline will tell you everything about the offseason lessons he took to heart.