Kentucky safety Martels Carter continues to earn spring reps at running back

Kentucky head coach Will Stein is being extra cautious with running backs CJ Baxter and Jovantae Barnes this spring. Both of the transfers went through productive stretches at their previous schools (Texas for Baxter, Oklahoma for Barnes), but also dealt with injuries along the way. Stein does not have either tail back doing much contact in spring practice right now, ideally to have them as healthy as possible by the fall.

While it’s never ideal to have two of the top running backs missing key time, the season is still a long way away. It also opens up an opportunity for the next man to step up. So far this spring, one of those Wildcats rising to the occasion has actually been a defensive piece. Redshirt freshman safety Martels Carter Jr. continues to take reps at running back this spring.

“(Carter has) been fantastic. I’m really excited about him, working on both sides of the ball,” Stein said after Saturday’s scrimmage. “I think he’s a natural ball carrier. So that’s been fun to see.”

The 6-foot Carter was recruited to Kentucky as a four-star defensive back. But he played both sides of the field for Paducah Tilghman (KY) as a junior and senior in high school. He was normally a wide receiver on offense for the Blue Tornado; however, Carter still logged 17 carries for 214 yards and three touchdowns on the ground as a junior before posting 13 carries for 127 yards and two more scores as a senior, the latter season resulting in a Class 4A state championship trophy.

But Carter made a name for himself on defense. That’s what got him recruited to the SEC. He registered four tackles in four games at safety last season for Kentucky, allowing him to redshirt. A position change doesn’t seem impossible, though. His ability to tote the rock has already impressed his quarterback. Carter is also returning kicks in spring practice.

“Martels Carter, who’s been taking reps at running back, he’s been doing really good, just in terms of shiftiness, a little bit of ball-carrier vision,” QB Kenny Minchey said Saturday. “It’s hard to translate over whenever you’re not really carrying the ball that much.”

We’ll have to wait until the fall to see whether or not Stein is serious about playing Carter on both sides of the ball, but these are valuable reps for the redshirt freshman regardless.

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