Tennessee is taking a familiar leadership group with it to South Carolina on Saturday.
The Vols announced their game captains for the road matchup, and long snapper Bennett Brady, linebackers Arion Carter and Jeremiah Telander, plus wide receiver Braylon Staley will represent Tennessee at the coin toss.
Brady and Carter are making their seventh captain appearance, which means each has been chosen for every game except one. Telander continues to be a regular part of the group, earning the honor for the fifth time. Staley is back in the mix for the second time, and this one sends him home to his native state.
Carter’s latest captain nod fits a pattern that started all the way back in the opener against Furman, when he was Tennessee’s only captain. That game came after he was suspended for taking a $427 flight during the pre-draft process, a cost he later repaid once he announced 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 leaned on a consistent captain rotation throughout the season. Carter has been named captain in every game except one, while Brady has matched that pace apart from one appearance. Telander has stacked up five captain selections, and Staley’s return to the group gives him a second turn after previously being honored against Auburn.
Here’s how Tennessee’s captains have lined up this season:
Game 1 vs. Furman: LB Arion Carter
Game 2 at Georgia Tech: LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander, TE Ethan Davis, LS Bennett Brady
Game 3 vs. Kennesaw State: LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander, LS Bennett Brady, RB DeSean Bishop
Game 4 vs. Texas: LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander, LS Bennett Brady, RB DeSean Bishop
Game 5 vs. Auburn: LB Arion Carter, LS Bennett Brady, DL Xavier Gilliam, WR Braylon Staley
Game 6 at Arkansas: LS Bennett Brady, DL Xavier Gilliam, WR Mike Matthews, DB TJ Metcalf
Game 7 vs. Alabama: LS Bennett Brady, LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander, RB DeSean Bishop
Game 8 at South Carolina: LS Bennett Brady, LB Arion Carter, LB Jeremiah Telander, WR Braylon Staley
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