Earlier this week Jaylin Carter met with the media ahead of the first game of the season against UNLV. Carter followed Charles Huff from Southern Miss, and he’s one of three running backs who could see a lot of playing time in Huff’s offense.
Memphis added Carter, Colorado transfer Dallan Hayden and Cincinnati transfer Manny Covey during the offseason, and it’s likely all three rotate throughout the season.
Carter has been predicted to get a bulk of the carries after recording 166 yards and two touchdowns as a true freshman.
Here’s a look at what Carter said to the media ahead of game one.
How Huff will utilize the running backs room:
Carter was asked about the running backs room and how Huff will utilize multiple running backs throughout the season. He said that he has complete confidence in whoever is on the field at the running back position.
“Our standard in our room is like there is no drop off, and we take that very, very, seriously,” Carter said. “We had Tony Pollard come in the spring, and he talked to us a lot about how Memphis is big for running backs. We’re taking it very seriously, and everybody in the room, no matter who it is, we all can go out there and play. I’m very confident in that.”
Carter’s decision to follow Charles Huff from Southern Miss to Memphis:
Carter followed Huff from Southern Miss, and he said the relationship with his head coach was the biggest thing that led him to follow Huff to Memphis.
“Relationships,” Carter said. “I would say my relationship with coach Huff.”
He said he was committed to Marshall before Huff made the move to Hattiesburg, and he stuck with the coach through that move, so it wasn’t as hard to follow him again to Memphis.
“He’s big on relationships,” Carter said. “He never lies to you. When he says something, he means it, and he’s always straight forward. I think that goes a long way, especially in this era of college football.”
Coming together as a team:
The Tigers added more than 70 players this offseason, and Carter talked about how the team is bonding ahead of the season. Memphis spent a day at Victory Ranch in Bolivar to build team chemistry ahead of fall camp.
“We did a lot of team bonding stuff,” Carter said. “We have a lot of people from all different types of regions.”
Carter said it’s important for him to talk to some of the guys that he doesn’t know as well to built that connection.
“There might be somebody in the room that’s been through the same thing I’ve been through,” Carter said. “You never know. You just got to talk to them. That’s the biggest thing that that coach Huff harps on is just talking to people and being open.”
