After weeks of rule violations, internal issues, and questions surrounding an alleged injury, Tennessee officially cut ties with defensive back Boo Carter on November 16. But on game day, his absence from the sideline immediately raised doubts about the legitimacy of his reported hip flexor injury. And when the head coach’s pointed postgame comments added even more fuel to these ongoing speculations, Carter’s mother stepped in to address the rumors.

Multiple reports noted that despite practicing all week and not appearing in SEC availability reports, Carter didn’t play. When asked, Josh Heupel brushed off the speculation, saying, “At the end of the day, there’s a standard that you have to meet to be in that locker room. So, he was not out on the field with us. That will be my last response to anything related to that for right now.” But Carter’s mother, Shareca Carter, wasn’t about to let that narrative stand uncontested.

She fired back by posting his medical records on Facebook, including MRI images, along with Instagram messages shutting down every rumor. She even put up a bold caption that reads, “I hope your new home/teammates welcomes you with open arms and you continue to grow and be a great teammate. WE KNOW YOU ARE!!”

Yet reports from ESPN’s Mark Schlabach tell a different story. “The source told ESPN that Carter had been informed by the coaching staff that he wasn’t going to play against the Aggies because of disciplinary issues. But the coaches still expected Carter to attend the homecoming game and watch from the sideline,” he said.

No matter how the season unfolds, Josh Heupel just can’t seem to escape player-parent drama. Carter’s issues with the program trace back to the offseason, when he skipped multiple team activities and was even called out by veteran leaders. He eventually stepped away from the team in July, and when he returned, Heupel made it clear Carter had “things to handle” before earning his place back.

For the first four preseason practices, Carter was isolated. He mostly worked alone on the sidelines or inside the facility while the rest of the team trained outdoors. To rejoin the roster, he completed a required community visit to East Tennessee Children’s Hospital and finally returned to full drills on Aug. 5, but he never reclaimed his starting nickelback job. And even before this weekend’s blow-up, Tennessee viewed him as a likely transfer-portal departure.

Boo Carter gets real about his future plans

After spending two years at Tennessee, Boo Carter finally parted ways with the team. But he made sure he gave Vols the credit they needed on his tweet and even talked about his plans. “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the University of Tennessee coaches, administrators, and fans for a wonderful 2 years,” Carter said. “Unfortunately, my season has been cut short due to injury. I have decided to enter the transfer portal, and I am excited about the opportunities going forward!”

But with all the missed games, despite playing in a rotational defensive role and handling primary punt return duties, his production fell to 25 tackles, 4.5 TFLs, 1 sack, 3 pass breakups, 3 forced fumbles, and 145 punt-return yards. Then his poor effort on TD allowed against Kentucky, following limited snaps and a missed return opportunity against Oklahoma, just made matters worse.

It’s yet to be known if the real deal behind Carter’s exit is his medical issue or his attitude toward the team. But until then, let’s wait and see which team becomes his next destination.