Pregame Injury Report: Tennessee lists LB Arion Carter as game-time decision vs. Oklahoma

Linebacker Arion Carter is a game-time decision for No. 14 Tennessee for Saturday night’s game against Oklahoma on the SEC pregame Injury Report. The Vols (6-2, 3-2 SEC) and the Sooners (6-2, 2-2) on Saturday night are scheduled for a 7:30 Eastern Time start on ABC at Neyland Stadium.

Carter had been listed as questionable on the first three injury report updates this week.

Jermod McCoy, Rickey Gibson and freshman receiver Travis Smith are the only other names on the report, with all three ruled out on Wednesday.

Tennessee Football Injury Report

Player	Position	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
Jermod McCoy	CB	Out	Out	Out	Out
Rickey Gibson III	CB	Out	Out	Out	O
Travis Smith	WR	Out	Out	Out	Out
Arion Carter	LB	Questionable	Questionable	Questionable	Game-Time Decision

Tennessee LB Arion Carter dealing with turf toe injuries

Carter, who did not play at Kentucky, was listed as questionable on Wednesday as he continues to deal with a turf toe injury. He traveled to Lexington and was on the sidelines with his teammates during the 56-34 win.

“It’s a great brotherhood inside of that position group,” Tennessee coach Josh Heupel said Thursday on The Mike Keith Show. “It’s a part of this team being cohesive and being together, as well. Coach (William) Inge a huge part of that, but the linebackers, the personality and the traits of those guys is a big part of it. And Arion Carter, Jeremiah Telander, those guys spearhead that for sure.”

Carter, the 6-foot-1, 235-pound junior, not only leads Tennessee with 61 tackles despite missing the Kentucky game. He has 2.5 tackles for loss, 1.0 sacks, a forced fumble and fumble recovery and two passes broken up. 

Without Carter on the field, redshirt freshman linebacker Edwin Spillman led Tennessee with a game-high 15 tackles against Kentucky. No other player on either team had more than six.

“I think Ed did a really good job on the communication side of it,” Heupel said on Thursday, “allowing all three levels of the defense to play in sync for a majority of the day. He’s violent, he’s disruptive, he’s going to play through the echo of the whistle. He’s great in pursuit.

“Ultimately that’s what great defenses do. They run to the football and play violent when they get there.”

Updating the status of Tennessee CB Jermod McCoy

McCoy has yet to make his return from the torn ACL he suffered while training in January. On3’s Pete Nakos on Wednesday reported that McCoy has returned to practice in pads and is continuing to work toward a return this season, barring any setbacks.

Tennessee has a bye week after facing Oklahoma Saturday night and is back home to host New Mexico State on November 15, before going to Florida on November 22 and playing Vanderbilt at home on November 29 in the regular-season finale.

“If (McCoy) can take a step forward in practice on the bye,” Nakos reported, “he could make a return for the final three games of the season.”

Heupel last updated the uncertain timeline for McCoy before the Arkansas game three weeks ago, with Tennessee’s star cornerback nine months removed from the ACL tear. 

“Jermod continues to do a great job in his rehab with our medical staff, our strength staff,” Heupel said on October 7. “… He’s done a really good job. He’s got more to go.”