Terrance Carter Jr. redefines his TE role as a Red Raider
Texas Tech’s versatile tight end Terrance Carter Jr. opened up about his distinctive playstyle following Tuesday afternoon’s practice. When asked what defines him as a player, Carter offered an insightful response that shed light on who he is now, and who he’s striving to become in the game of football.
“Just being myself out there on the field and showing everything I’ve been working on, especially in the run game, I think that’s improved a lot,” Carter Jr. said. “Like you mentioned with the Instagram handle, that’s just something I live up to.
I don’t think my playstyle is like your regular tight end. I’m not your typical 6’6″, 260-pound guy. I’m more of a receiver, tracking the football, but physical at the same time.”
Carter Jr. looks to stand out this season as a key piece in Texas Tech’s offensive arsenal. In his final season at Louisiana, he earned the fifth-highest receiving grade (89.2) among all FBS tight ends. He ranked second on the team with 48 receptions, 689 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. Carter Jr. also recorded 404 yards after the catchm, the fourth-most among FBS tight ends, and hauled in 77.4% of his 62 targets, ranking fourth nationally among tight ends with 60 or more targets.
Sucess starts with chemistry
Terrence Carter Jr. continues to shine in practice, not just because of the reps and drills, but because of the bond he shares with fellow tight end Johncarlos Miller.
“Actually, Johncarlos is a great tight end, and we’re both picking up on each other, it’s just competition,” Carter said. “Like, one day he’s having a great day, next day I’m coming back and I’m attacking. Just seeing the way he practices motivates me to go even harder. Because at the end of the day, it’s competition, but we’re making each other better at the same time.”
The drive that both tight ends have to improve sets the tone for the rest of the team, with every rep reflecting their effort and commitment. Terrence Carter Jr. and Johncarlos Miller lead by example, proving their value on the field each day.
How the right coaching has shaped Carter’s growth as a blocker
Terrence Carter Jr. wasn’t widely known for his blocking abilities as a tight end coming into Texas Tech. But this season, under the guidance of Texas Tech’s tight ends coach Josh Cochran, he’s determined to change that narrative. When asked about Cochran’s high expectations for run and pass blocking, Carter had this to say:
“I feel like it’s improved a lot. I think I became a physically better blocker just in the game. I could say Cochran helped me improve on that a lot, just because he was an offensive tackle and he had the experience of blocking a lot, so he helped me improve at that level.”
