Tennessee will send four familiar faces to the coin toss Saturday night when Kentucky comes to town.
The Vols announced that linebackers Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander, running back DeSean Bishop and long snapper Bennett Brady will serve as the game captains for the SEC rivalry matchup. With College Football Playoff implications hanging over the night, Tennessee is leaning on a group that has become a regular part of its pregame routine.
Carter and Brady have been captains in eight of the team’s nine games. Telander is getting the nod for the sixth time, while Bishop will serve as captain for the fourth time.
Carter’s role has been especially consistent from the start. He was the lone captain for Tennessee’s opener against Furman, coming after he had been suspended for the game for taking a $427 flight during the pre-draft process, which he later repaid once announcing his return to college.
“He’s the strongest leader in our locker room,” Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel said about making Carter a lone captain vs. the Paladins. “He represents Tennessee in the exact way that I and our administration, our staff would want somebody to represent Tennessee. It’s a no-brainer on Saturday to have him be the guy out there.”
Tennessee has rotated its captains through the season, but Carter and Brady have been constants. Here’s how the captaincy has played out game by game so far:
Game 1 - vs. Furman
LB Arion Carter
Game 2 - at Georgia Tech
LB Arion Carter (second time)
LB Jeremiah Telander
TE Ethan Davis
LS Bennett Brady
Game 3 - vs. Kennesaw State
LB Arion Carter (third time)
LB Jeremiah Telander (second time)
LS Bennett Brady (second time)
RB DeSean Bishop
Game 4 - vs. Texas
LB Arion Carter (fourth time)
LB Jeremiah Telander (third time)
LS Bennett Brady (third time)
RB DeSean Bishop (second time)
Game 7 - vs. Alabama
LS Bennett Brady (sixth time)
LB Arion Carter (sixth time)
LB Jeremiah Telander (fourth time)
RB DeSean Bishop (third time)
Game 8 - at South Carolina
LS Bennett Brady (seventh time)
LB Arion Carter (seventh time)
LB Jeremiah Telander (fifth time)
WR Braylon Staley (second time)
Game 9 - vs. Kentucky
LS Bennett Brady (eighth time)
LB Arion Carter (eighth time)
LB Jeremiah Telander (sixth time)
RB DeSean Bishop (fourth time)
In Other News...
Tennessee Just Got A Huge Edge In A Massive Kentucky Showdown
Saturday night at Neyland Stadium already had the feel of a measuring-stick game, and now Tennessee enters it with a clean bill of health on the current roster. The 13th-ranked Volunteers will host No. 6 Kentucky at 6:15 p.m. ET in an SEC rivalry matchup that carries real weight for both teams, with each still eyeing the playoff picture and knowing a win would do plenty for the rsum.
For Tennessee, the absence of any new injury changes matters as much as the ranking gap. The Vols are still dealing with six season-ending injuries, but otherwise look ready for a game that could reshape the league conversation, while Kentucky got a small boost of its own with defensive back Isaiah McMillian moving to probable after previously being listed as questionable. In a matchup this big, the margins are thin, and availability could end up being part of the story before the first snap even arrives. [Read more 🡒]
Tennessee Faces A Costly Problem At The Worst Time Against Kentucky
Penalty issues have been a recurring problem for Tennessee all season, and they come into this matchup with Kentucky needing a cleaner performance than the one that has too often followed them around. The Volunteers have been flagged 61 times and have given away too many yards in the process, a costly habit for a team trying to stay sharp in a rivalry game where every mistake can swing momentum.
Kentucky brings a different kind of challenge, one that shows up in the details. The Wildcats have been much better at avoiding self-inflicted damage and have built a strong turnover margin, while Josh Heupel has already pointed to the importance of Tennessee playing a disciplined game. Against an opponent that protects the football and limits mistakes, the margin for error is thin, and the Volunteers cannot afford another sloppy afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Kim Caldwell Sees One Clear Issue Despite Tennessees 2-0 Start
Tennessee opened the season 2-0 and handled Coppin State 98-60, but Kim Caldwell still found room for a sharp critique in the aftermath. In her postgame interviews on MEAC Network TV and Vol Network radio, the Lady Vols coach pointed to the teams defensive adjustments, the play of younger pieces, and the early contributions from Kennedy Fauntleroy and Gabby Minus as reasons for optimism, even with the lopsided win in hand.
The bigger concern, Caldwell said, was the kind of issue that can linger long after a comfortable result: ball sharing, defense and shot selection. With a young roster still settling in, Tennessee has already shown it can overwhelm an opponent, but the next step is making those stretches more complete and more consistent, especially once the competition tightens and the margin for error shrinks. [Read more 🡒]