Tennessee athletic director blasts ‘archaic’ NCAA rules as Arion Carter ban cut to 1 game

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee’s athletic director, Danny White, criticized the NCAA’s “archaic” rules after the governing body reduced Arion Carter’s suspension from two games to one. The reduction occurred after the NCAA agreed to Carter’s ban, which was imposed for a $427 flight to an NFL training facility during the pre-draft process.

White expressed his agreement with coach Josh Heupel’s assessment of the initial suspension as “ridiculous,” but he argued that no suspension would be preferable to the current system. White suggested that if players are allowed to leave NFL camps and participate in college football, the NCAA should reconsider its rules entirely, stating, “This is yet another example of applying archaic rules from another era, without evolving, and most importantly, putting student-athletes experiences above bureaucracy.”

Carter had signed with an agent and accepted a flight worth $427.28 while assessing his draft status. He ultimately withdrew from the draft due to a medical procedure for a foot injury. Initially, Carter faced a three-game suspension, which was later reduced after an appeal. The latest reduction means that the third-year linebacker, who has been a two-year starter, will be available for Tennessee’s upcoming game against Georgia Tech on September 12.

The NCAA maintains that student-athletes are prohibited from signing with agents to pursue NFL Draft opportunities, and Carter knowingly violated those longstanding rules.