3 Tennessee players who must step up if Boo Carter is gone Week 1

July 30 is less than a week away. That's the day Volunteers training camp begins and that might be the day we get a definitive answer about the Boo Carter situation (holdout?).

Things could change over the next few days, but right now it appears that Tennessee will have to create a Plan B in case Carter isn't available. Carter is projected to be the starter at the STAR position and the primary punt return specialist.

Before Carter decided to pull this power play, there were already plenty of questions about the Vols secondary. Rickey Gibson III is the only returning starter from last season that should be able to hit the ground running (and hopefully he'll bring some well-deserved good karma with him). But everything else is a big question mark.

So let's get into it and put the spotlight on three (or more) players that need to step up if Carter is a training camp no-show:

No. 1: Colton Hood

Let's be honest, the injuries to Jermod McCoy (more on him later) and Jourdan Thomas are a big reason why the Vols were so aggressive at getting Hood out of the transfer portal when he decided to leave Colorado. Hood offers a strong resume to being CB1 for nearly any team in the country. He gave up zero touchdowns in over 200 coverage snaps last season with the Buffaloes and held opposing quarterbacks to a passer rating north of 50. Hood also adds a special teams element. He was a part-time kick returner for Colorado last season and could provide additional snaps in the return game at Tennessee. Hood has god size, he's not afraidf to be physical, he has ball skills, he doesn't shy away from his responsibiltiies on run defense. Much will be asked of Hood and he has much to offer.

No. 2: Jermod McCoy (hopefully)

There's already a ton on McCoy's plate and there are still plenty of questions about his health and availability after suffering a torn ACL at the beginning of the year. When healthy, the junior is arguably the best defensive player on the roster. McCoy was an All-SEC performer last season, and he's a preseason All-American that would be one of the favorites to win the Thorpe Award. He was also a part-time punt returner last season, averaging nearly 10 yards per return. It's not ideal for McCoy to add more punt return duties coming off of a major leg injury, but with Carter's situation unknown and Squirrel White transferring to FSU, the Vols could be without their top two punt return specialists last season. Does he provide an additional boost in the return game in the second half of the season? Possibly.

No. 3: Tre Poteat/Ty Redmond

Both true freshmen have said they want to see the field early and will do whatever is asked. Right now, it's hard to say where either player fits in, but if the health of the veterans remains an issue throughout camp, there will be plenty of snaps to be had. Poteat has an NFL pedigree through his dad, Hank. He's seen a lot and entered the program with good fundamentals. Redmond has good size (6-1, 180) and could end up being a super sub at multiple positions in the secondary.

Honorable Mention: Jalen McMurray

McMurray started 27 games at Temple before he transferred to Tennessee last season and became one of the primary guys in the rotation. He's not going to offer the playmaking ability that Carter has, but he has a lot of experience and would provide a steady presence.