Tennessee is heading into the first two games of the season without its best linebacker and captain, Arion Carter, after an NCAA suspension tied to his trip to an NFL pre-draft training facility.
The issue stems from a roughly $427 flight to that facility. Under NCAA rules, student-athletes who want to keep their college eligibility cannot let an agent of a professional team pay for travel to a pre-draft or training site. Carter’s situation has now put Tennessee in a tough spot, even as the rule itself has drawn plenty of frustration across college football.
That frustration spilled well beyond Knoxville. Brooks Austin, the national college football reporter known as “The Film Guy” on YouTube, blasted the NCAA for how it handled the situation.
"The NCAA chooses to enforce their “power” over the dumbest stuff. This is the equivalent of giving out parking tickets next to a dude shooting up," Brooks Austin stated on X.
The reaction makes sense in a sport where the rulebook can feel uneven, especially when players who initially head toward the NFL Draft sometimes change course and return to school before their window closes. The source also points to other loopholes in NCAA enforcement that have allowed some players to maneuver their way back into college sports.
For Tennessee, though, there is at least some relief in the roster behind Carter. Amare Campbell was expected to start this season, and the Vols also have Edwin Spillman, Jadon Perlotte and returning captain Jeremiah Telander in the mix. Tennessee could also lean on freshmen Brayden Rouse and TJ White, both of whom are expected to be stars in the college world.
In Other News...
Drinkwitz Just Raised The Biggest Border War Question Yet
The Border War is back on the calendar, and Missouris win over Kansas last fall only sharpened the appetite for more. The two programs are already lined up to meet again this season, with additional games on the books in 2031 and 2032, giving the rivalry at least a little more runway after years of absence.
Eli Drinkwitz made clear he sees the matchup as bigger than a one-off nonconference date, stressing how much it means to both fan bases and how much he wants the series to keep going. The catch, as he noted, is that future meetings depend on both schools agreeing, which leaves the long-term shape of one of college footballs oldest rivalries still hanging in the balance. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Suddenly Has A Huge Question Hanging Over Its Defensive Line
Sterling Webbs name has become a lot more important around Columbia than it was a few weeks ago. After four collegiate seasons, including two at New Mexico State, the former Mizzou defensive tackle is now at the center of a roster issue that could shape how the Tigers look up front in 2026, especially after he was such a steady part of the defense last season.
Webbs production gave Missouri real value on the interior, and the timing matters because the Tigers are already trying to piece together life without both him and Chris McClellan at defensive tackle. Fans are looking ahead to next season with plenty of optimism, but this is one of those situations that can change the conversation fast, depending on how the eligibility picture settles and what it means for the depth chart. [Read more 🡒]