ETSU’s junior fullback Scott Carter is carrying a couple of positive trends for himself into Saturday’s game against Western Carolina.
He’s coming off leading the Bucs in rushing with 68 yards in a victory over Gardner-Webb, and the last time the Catamounts came to the Mini-Dome two years ago, the then-freshman posted his career-high of 86 yards on the ground.
Yet, despite his demostrated ability to gain the tough yards up the middle, Carter still maintains the main responsibility of a fullback is to block, and is just as, if not more, pleased to see himself open a hole for his teammate as opposed to one for himself.
“We’ve got to be able to do a variety of things,” Carter said of players at his position, who must run, block and catch passes.
Regardless, Carter is a rising star in a league known for its backfields.
After coming to ETSU from Knoxville Halls High School, where he set the career rushing and total offense marks, he began his collegiate ascent as a redshirt freshman, when he started all 11 games and rushed for 370, second on the 1999 team that featured Brandon Walker.
The next year, however, the sophomore jinx got him.
He played in only eight games as he suffered both a torn knee ligament and a concussion.
He found the end zone only once all season, and when he did play, he was listed behind Corey Carter (no relation) on the depth chart.
Still, Scott had no qualms with playing second fiddle if that meant Corey Carter, “an outstanding athlete,” according to Scott, could play on his team.
That underscores what head coach Paul Hamilton has said, calling him a “great leader” with a “great deal of experience” who “understands his role.”
This year, however, Corey Carter moved to tailback, freeing the way for an Scott to start in an all-Carter backfield.
And, just as when Walker went down with an injury before Carter’s career game against Western Carolina in 1999, Scott stepped up in place of an ailing Corey Carter (who is expected to play this week) against Gardner-Webb.
Now, he’ll look to once more erase memories of 2000 with another throwback to 1999.
Just as a cloud hung over Carter last year, it hung over the whole Bucs team in their visit to Cullowhee, N.C. As Carter rushed for only three yards on nine carries, mistakes carried the day, on which the Bucs committed five turnovers in a 39-27 upset loss.
“We have been waiting” to face the Catamounts, Carter said.
It is with more pleasantness, no doubt, that he awaits yet another date with destiny.
This coming June he will marry Kristen King in their shared hometown of Knoxville.
Each will then begin graduate school in the fall, Kristen going into business and Carter, a recipient of Buccaneer Academic Honors, to sports administration, beginning the journey he hopes will someday take him to an athletics director’s desk.
“I’ve always loved football and all sports,” he said.
He’d also like to coach, and, if all possible, follow the footsteps of former high school rival and college teammate Jamey Chadwell, who is now the Bucs quarterbacks coach.
He’s already inquired about getting a graduate assistant’s position for after his on-field eligibility runs out in 2002.
“I would love to stay here,” he said.
Carter, who said he looks quite often toward his future, still can see plenty of playing days to come, however.
Though modesty might cause him to advert his eyes, one would surmise he can also see an All-Southern Conference selection ahead, too.

Author