By Nicole Reisinger, Maryland Athletics Communications Intern
Jermaine Carter, Jr. became a household name for Terp fans after leading the team with 103 tackles as a sophomore in 2015. However, he doesn't plan on stopping there.
After his breakout season, Carter has now set his sights on lofty goals that he is striving to accomplish with his team in 2016. He made a note on his phone with all of his goals and they include competing for a B1G Championship and graduating this December.
Carter knows this journey is not without sacrifice and plenty of hard work.
“If you set goals high for yourself and your team, you know in the back of your mind that you have to work hard to get there,” Carter explained. “I like to set my goals high because I don't want to ever sell myself short. I like to be able to know that I can compete with the best people on the field.”
As an upperclassman now, Carter hopes to take on a larger role as a leader for the younger players both on and off the field.
“You have to show your guys the ropes,” Carter said. “I came in not knowing much about managing my time, but I learned from the older guys. They set a great example for me, and now I hope to be as great as they were or better.”
Carter believes that everything off the field correlates with what happens on the field and that's why he's so excited to play under Head Coach DJ Durkin, who has created a new culture at Maryland. Carter is also excited to play for a coach who is respected as one of the best defensive minds in football and has coached some great linebackers.
“I think we share the same passion and drive and thats what made us click so quickly,” explained Carter. “One of his biggest things is just running to the ball and to always give effort because Coach says your effort will correct you mistakes on the field. Sometimes you might mess up on your assignment, but if you're going 110 miles per hour, then you can still make something good happen.
“The biggest thing is just buying into what the coaches believe in because they've all come from successful places. They all come from places that are known for winning so we just have to fall in line and believe in what they teach us. The turnaround can happen as quickly as we want if we're willing to put in the work.”
Working hard and setting high goals is nothing new to Carter.
“I've always set high goals for myself, it's something my dad has instilled in me,” said Carter. “It's not a matter of being cocky, it's just having confidence in your abilities and knowing what you are capable of doing.”
In high school, Carter felt the need to prove himself because he always felt as if he was an underdog.
“Because of my height many doubted that I'd get a scholarship to a Division I school," explained Carter. "But I'm a good football player and working to be a great football player. I'm not going to let anything stop me.”
Carter realized that when he made his lofty goals public on twitter, that some would doubt him. However, he plans on using that doubt to fuel him and his teammates as they enter the 2016 season.
“I feel like we are very capable of winning a lot of the games this year,” said Carter. “It comes down to the simple fact of playing harder and being smarter. I believe we have the pieces to be very successful and to start striving for the goals we've set as a team.”
-Maryland-
