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Boo Carter announces he is back at Tennessee for 2025

On3 imageby:Austin Price•12/27/24•

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Tennessee starting nickel Boo Carter is officially back in Orange next fall after several programs made a run at him through back channels most of the fall. He posted on X on Friday night he is back after signing a new deal with the Volunteer Club.

Pete Nakos and Steve Wiltfong reported on Friday that Carter was looking at the portal because he wanted a shot to play some offense next fall. Sources tell Volquest that Carter and Tennessee were able to come to an understanding that will give him more playmaking opportunities next season.

Carter, a former four-star from Bradley Central High School, took over the nickelback position in a starting capacity midway through the season but received plenty of playing time all year long. The true freshman totaled 35 tackles with one interception and one sack in 12 regular season games and was named the SEC Freshman of the Week following the Florida victory when he picked off a pass in the second half. That regular season performance earned him All-SEC freshman honors.

The athlete played a total of 387 snaps in the regular season with career-high 45 snaps against Alabama on the Third Saturday in October. Carter also excelled as a punt returner when placed in the position midway through the conference slate, averaging 16.5 yards on 12 returns.

Understanding the portal

The winter transfer portal window runs from December 9-28. The spring portal window runs from April 16-25.

Players don’t have to pick a school they are going to during those specific dates but those are the span of dates on when a player can enter the portal.

Those dates don’t apply to graduate transfers who can enter the portal whenever they wish. Also, if there’s a head coaching change, their players are granted an immediate 30-day window during which they can enter the portal. 

Of note, any team playing in a game after Dec 28 (playoffs or regular bowl) gets a five-day window once season ends for those player to enter portal.

So, say a team loses in the CFP first round on Dec 20/21? Their transfer portal window wouldn’t be affected as the regular window ends more than five days after that loss.

Players who enter the portal in the winter window are trying to be somewhere for the spring semester. 

For Tennessee the spring semester starts on January 21which is late compared to many schools around the country. Tennessee a year ago started a winter mini-term class that runs the first three weeks of January. 

Tennessee has benefitted from the portal

The transfer portal can giveth and it can taketh away. For Josh Heupel it’s been much more of a positive than a negative for the Vols when you look at the 2024 season. 

Left tackle Lance Heard has been a fixture on an offense line that has helped the Vols rush for over 2700 yards. Tight end Miles Kitselman has been a terrific portal grab because he is the leader of the tight end room. A room that also includes transfer Holden Staes. 

Defensively, Jermod McCoy has been the best transfer Tennessee has gotten. McCoy is having an All-American season. 

In total, Tennessee added 10 transfers for the current 2024 roster. 

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