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Hospital visits part of Boo Carter's work to rejoin Tennessee Football team

IMG_3593by: Grant Ramey08/01/25GrantRamey
Boo Carter, Tennessee Football | Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Caitie McMekin/News Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images | Tennessee defensive back Boo Carter (23) runs during Tennessee football preseason practice, in Knoxville, Tennessee, July 31, 2025.

Part of Boo Carter’s work to rejoin the Tennessee Football has been visiting Children’s Hospital in Knoxville. The sophomore defensive back spent time both Wednesday and Thursday afternoons visiting children in the hospital.

Carter did not practice with his teammates over the first two days of fall camp. He was seen on the practice field for stretching periods Wednesday morning, as the Vols started fall camp inside the Anderson Training Center.

On Thursday he worked on the side, going through football activities with a Tennessee staffer on the indoor practice field while the Vols practiced outside.

Tennessee coach Josh Heupel spoke at length about Carter’s status on Tuesday, after Carter recently missed offseason workouts. He said Carter still had work to do to earn his way back and that the team’s leadership council, made up of veteran players, had a say in the decision to allow him to return and be around his teammates.

Later on Tuesday Carter was stood before his teammates and addressed them in a team meeting. 

“Boo is a part of our team here,” Heupel said during his media day press conference. “There’s some things that he’s got to accomplish to get back on the field with us. Don’t have a set timeline on that. 

“Our leadership council has been a part of those things, those discussions with me and with Boo. I’m proud of what they’ve done. They care and love Boo and want him to be his best too.”

Season Opener: Tennessee vs. Syracuse, August 30, Atlanta

Tennessee opens the season August 30 against Syracuse in the Aflac Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Vols host ETSU in their home opener on September 6 and start the SEC schedule at home against Georgia on September 13.

It’s unclear what all Carter has to do, or will have to do, to rejoin his teammates in practice or when that will happen. Heupel on Tuesday declined to clarify if Carter will be in meetings with his teammates during camp, or if he will or won’t practice. 

“I’m not going to get into all the details of everything,” Heupel said. “He’s here, he’s with us. And each day we’ll figure out what comes next.” 

Josh Heupel ‘disappointed with how some things were handled’

Heupel did confirm that he had been in contact with Carter over the previous week and that attending offseason workouts is required for Tennessee players. 

“At the end of the day,” he said, “it’s a requirement to be here, be a part of what we’re doing. And there’s a lot of information out of there, out in the world. Some of it is correct, some of it is not. I’m not going to address everything over the last week. 

“Disappointed with how some things were handled. At the end of the day, we have conversations, what does it look like