Everything Arion Carter Said After Tennessee Football's Loss vs. Texas

Here's everything Volunteers' Arion Carter said postgame after Tennessee fell to Texas.

Arion Carter on His Performance and the Defense’s Performance

Tennessee linebacker Arion Carter (7) high fives Tennessee wide receiver Deon Hardin (88) before a college football game between Tennessee and Georgia Tech at Bobby Dodd Stadium in Atlanta, Ga., on Sept. 12, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

We take a lot of pride in that, just being able to go out there every single day and put our best before, for Coach Inge, most importantly, but as a team, collectively, holistically, we just wanted to go out there, like we say, like, we didn't get the job done today, but we got a lot of football ahead of us, and if we keep carrying that fight, that Coach Inge has right now, that he's battling right now, keep that warrior spirit, we'll end up on the right side of it with a lot more games than the wrong one.

Arion Carter on His Onside Kick Recovery

We practice those special situations. Every Thursday and Friday, and just falling back on the level of my training and just going out there and doing my best and just keeping that warrior spirit at the end of the day to go out there and, if the opportunity presents itself, go make the play. So, they did, and happy about that.

Arion Carter on If He Felt The Defense’s Improvement

Yeah, I feel like the game plan we had for this week was set in stone. Just talking things over and just knowing what we had in front of us. They were a great offense. Great quarterback. And just being able to go out there and execute. Obviously, it wasn't enough to seal the game, but it sparked, I felt like, a belief in what we can do and what we can be holistically, going forward in games and just proving we're not gonna back down from anybody, and we're just gonna keep fighting, the great fight, to being able to go out there and be relentless to the football every single time, and the whole thing is get off the field on third downs. And the more we can keep our composure and be able to get off the field on 3rd downs, the more we'll have more success.

Arion Carter on the Challenge to Stay Focused with Coach Inge’s Health Scare

Sep 12, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Tennessee Volunteers defensive lineman Jordan Norman (33) and linebacker Arion Carter (7) and defensive lineman Mariyon Dye (9) react after a stop on defense against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets in the fourth quarter at Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Yeah, I mean, I wouldn't say that it made me deteriorate from being focused. I feel like it just made me lock in even more, just understanding what he would want you to do as a coach, and just having that competitive composure and fighting spirit, like how he has, you know, literally fighting for his life, and understanding that this thing is bigger than football, and just us wanting to go out as a group collectively, and put our best for forward and represent him, and the best of our abilities. So, that's really all it was. I mean, I feel like he's headed in the right direction. We've got some good news in the last 24 hours, so, you know, we're just praying for his health and his family at this point. You know, and just keep fighting forward for him.

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