Tennessee HC Josh Heupel stands behind Arion Carter after NCAA suspends LB for preposterous reason

"We disagree with the NCAA's ruling on punishing Arion with a multi-game suspension this fall," Heupel said. "Arion made the right decision for his future health and well-being. He will proudly graduate from Tennessee in public health with Dean's List honors in August. Our team stands behind him, and we can't wait to be on the field with him during training camp next week."

The suspension of Carter could be considered a power move by the NCAA, which has lost most of its authority since the NIL (name, image and likeness) era began in July 2021. The sporting organization used to mainly punish players for taking illegal payments. Now that athletes can profit from their names, what's the NCAA's purpose? 

Even if you think Carter should face consequences, the punishment could still be viewed as too stringent. Accepting a flight from an agent constitutes a Level III violation, which usually results in minor penalties. The LB's two-game suspension "stands out as one of the harshest penalties ever issued for this level of infraction," per Sparks. 

The NCAA may think that suspending Carter will help it regain some of its grip on college athletics. Instead, it's looking like an organization desperately trying to cling to control that it no longer holds.