Arion Carter brings in trio of awards after massive performance vs. Kentucky
By Sydney Hunte
Published:
Arion Carter was everywhere for Tennessee against Kentucky on Saturday. Or, at least, it seemed like it.
The Volunteers’ star senior linebacker made life absolutely miserable for the Wildcats’ offense in Week 10. He ended the night with 13 tackles, a career-best 4.0 tackles for a loss, and 2.0 sacks during the Vols’ 34-6 rout at Neyland Stadium. It was his fifth double-digit tackle game and his second of the season.
That led to some major honors for Carter. He was named the Walter Camp Football Foundation’s National Defense Player of the Week, while also picking up both the Bednarik Award and the Nagurski Trophy’s Defensive Player of the Week.
Carter is in line for potential season-end awards, too. He’s a semifinalist for the Butkus Award, given to the nation’s best linebacker, and is also on the semifinalists’ list for the William V. Campbell Trophy.
Tennessee’s win over Kentucky was much-needed after a tough loss at South Carolina a week earlier. The Volunteers travel to Texas A&M for Week 11 before a home game against LSU and a trip to in-state rival Vanderbilt. If the Vols go 3-0 down the stretch, it will be enough to get them an at-large berth into the College Football Playoff.
Sydney is an Atlanta-based journalist who has covered everything from SEC and ACC football to MLS, the U.S. men's national soccer team and professional tennis. His work has appeared on such platforms as SB Nation, Cox Media Group and FanSided.
