Vol Club Confidential: Arion Carter and Daevin Hobbs

Two of the last key additions to the 2023 Tennessee recruiting class were 5-stars Arion Carter and Daevin Hobbs. They are also two of the main early contributors from that class as both have adjusted to life on Rocky Top as they discuss in this week’s Vol Club Confidential.

“Watching it last year, everything that goes into it is crazy,” Hobbs said. “From traveling, I’ve never seen anything like that before. From regular living, I like living by myself. Just being around your boys all the time.”

And when that happens you build an unspeakable bond with your teammates.

“You really start to get a bond with each other on and off the field,” Carter said. “The chemistry just makes us comfortable with telling each other the truth. Like hey you need to be in this gap. Like he and I can converse without holding back. For me, it’s been a great experience being a home state kid, not being to far from home and family being able to come in and see me when they want to or me being able to go home. Being on campus has been great just being able to meet new people and have that sense of independence.”

Ironically two of the last in the class have become really close friends with some similar interests.

“I didn’t know he had committed late until a couple months ago,” Carter said. “We both just stepping on the scene late. We clicked when we got here.”

Vol freshmen mesh early on

The first time they spoke was at a newcomer function and the rest was easy.

“First time we talked was at the Texas basketball game,” Hobbs said. “We hung out that night and ever since then whenever we are free we always do something. AC is a chill dude but when he is with me it brings more of his funny side out. The real AC is a cool dude who you can talk to about anything.”

And Carter loves their ability to connect over different topics.

“Just knowing we can keep it real,” Carter said. “We can have any conversation about basketball or football or just us being able to talk about sports, life in general. He used to play basketball so we played some pickup in the off-season and he is tough. Just us running together is a dynamic duo.”

Tennessee vs. South Carolina: How To Watch

Kickoff Time: 7:30 p.m. ET

Location: Neyland Stadium (101,915)

Streaming: SEC Network (Tom Hart – Play by Play, Jordan Rogers – Color Commentator, Cole Cubelic – Sideline Reporters)

Mobile: ESPN App

Radio: WIVK-FM 107.7 and WNML-FM 99.1 in Knoxville. The Vol Network radio broadcast (Bob Kesling – play-by-play – Pat Ryan, analyst – Brent Hubbs, analyst – Jayson Swain sideline) can be heard on local affiliates across the state of Tennessee.

Satellite Radio: SiriusXM Channel 109 or Channel 190. SiriusXM App Channel 961.