Carver commits to his dream school
Martin, Tn. kicker JT Carver grew up a Vol living in Knoxville until his father Keith became the chancellor at UT-Martin. Carver also grew up a soccer player and an excellent kicker on his youth football teams.
But today Carver is a future Vol football player as he has committed to his dream school.
“It’s a dream come true,” Carver said. “Honestly I think I’m still waiting for it to set in.
“I always thought I would be a college soccer player. We moved to Martin my freshman year and I ended up beating out a senior for the kicking job. I kind of realized then I could kick in college. My sophomore year, my leg got a lot stronger and I was hitting touchbacks with ease and that’s when I really knew that if I worked at it I could be a college kicker.”
Carver will enroll in January as a preferred walk on with the opportunity to be the Vols kicker in 2021. A message Carver heard clearly from head coach Jeremy Pruitt when Pruitt called with the offer last Thursday.
“I have been talking to the special teams coaches for a while,” Carver explained. “We probably have talked twice a week the last few months. They told me last week that coach Pruitt wanted to reach out and talk to me. I didn’t know why but it kind of made me a little nervous.
“I actually went outside and took his call in my car in the driveway. He let me know that I can come in and have an impact. He said he wanted to bring me in and compete for a starting spot.
“My sister had just gotten home so I got to tell my family at the same time. Not one of us thought it was gong to happen then. We thought maybe after the season but didn’t think it was coming right now. Honestly we really didn’t know how to react.”
Carver knew almost immediately that he wanted to be a Vol.
“I pretty much knew right then,” Carver said. “Growing up a Vol fan, I wanted to play for them. I thought it was important to wait and make sure, but I had a pretty good feeling about it after my talk with coach Pruitt.”
Carver is choosing to walk on at his in-state school and his lifelong favorite team despite having a bevy an offer from Michigan on the table.
For Carver the focus right now is on his senior season before arriving in January to immediately begin competing for the kicking job. A job he thinks he’s ready to have a real chance at winning.
“I think I’m ready to come in compete and play,” Carver said. “I’m kicking with no tee. I kick on college goal posts. Both are an advantage for me in transitioning to college. The heights of my kicks are good and where they need to be. I think my kickoffs are at a college level now.”
With his college decision made, Carver like all high school seniors hopes to get to enjoy a senior year and he will do so with much less stress.
“It’s really relieving to know it’s over and I’m going to my dream school,” Carver said. “The summer has been tough. Every coach recruiting you wants you to come to camp kick in front of them to try and land the offer. Not having those summer college camps was really stressful. I tried to post good videos of me kicking and all of that. It’s just nice having the security that it’s all over with.”
