Striding with Pride, Jerome Carvin is the Embodiment of a Tennessee Vol
Max Potter
It has been a long road for Jerome Carvin, but every twist and turn of his life has led him in the right direction. Carvin is from the Memphis area and Tennessee runs through his veins.
There is pride that I get to represent my state. I’m from the west side of Tennessee, so it’s a little far from Knoxville. It’s all the same, I’ve always had that Tennessee pride. - Jerome Carvin
The rich history of the Vols is alive and well across the state and that distinct ‘T,’ the loyalty and engagement of fans and alumni, it is seen by prospective students. Carvin was one who was drawn because of it.
“I always watched Tennessee,” Carvin continued. “I didn’t know too much about it, but once I started looking into Tennessee, seeing the history. I thought ‘man, Tennessee is really good.’ That’s what ultimately led to me coming here.”
Beyond the impact of that iconic orange, historic Neyland Stadium, or the legendary names lining the walls of UT’s facilities, there are people: teammates, friends, brothers.
These are my guys. These are my brothers. The guys I have put in work with, that I’ve grinded with during the offseason to now. Struggle brings people together. Going through a rigorous workout, or maybe it’s schoolwork. You create bonds with those people. I have loved my time here, regardless of the ups or the downs. My teammates have motivated me to keep going. - Jerome Carvin
One of those guys who he developed an especially close bond with is recently-departed offensive lineman Trey Smith, now a starter on the Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive line.
Welcome home @TreySmith73 ??#VFL #NFLVols pic.twitter.com/JBvXByRJbG
— Tennessee Football (@Vol_Football) November 27, 2021
“Big brother, little brother relationship with Trey,” Carvin said on their friendship. “He was young when I came in, just a sophomore. The way he went to work, you could see he separated himself from everybody. He was a true professional, regardless of age. He led by example and he was a vocal leader inside the offensive line room. Guys like that, you don’t see them in decades, type of talent and stuff like that. Anytime he said something, man, you’re going to pay attention. I love Trey, I still talk to him every day. He’s been ballin’.”
That leadership is a role Carvin has stepped into and excelled at this season, as he has been one of the shining stars of the Volunteer offensive line.
I learned from guys before me on how to approach things and what it means to be a Tennessee offensive lineman. Those guys really left a mark on myself and the entire unit. Coming in, I was a guy that didn’t really talk too much, I always did the right thing and showed up early. I just try to be the guy that leads by example because I wasn’t vocal at first. As the years went on, I started to become more vocal. It just continues on now and I have help too. Cade Mays is a great leader, him being an older guy too, the playing experience he has and the things he has seen. He’s a leader on the offensive line as well.
- Jerome Carvin on the impact of Trey Smith and Brandon Kennedy
Leadership is a life skill, and if Carvin could see the future, it will be crucial in his career post-football.
My dream job is to be an athletic director. I always want to be involved in sports, I wouldn’t exactly say coaching, but I want to be a part of sport administration. It’s so interesting to me, the behind the scenes of football and how it works – it’s intriguing. As a player, you don’t really see all that goes into it. You just go out there and play. There are so many things that go on that no one sees, and I fell in love with that too.
- Jerome Carvin
Beyond the game, he is shaped by his upbringing. Memphis feeds into the pride he has in where he comes from.
“I love music. I love listening to music, mostly hip hop and R&B. Memphis has a specific sound that is different from anywhere in the country. I fell in love with that sound,” Carvin said, reflecting on the the Home of the Blues. “Memphis is a blue-collar town, hard-working. You have that grit and grind personality and I feel like I have that as well.”
“Also the barbecue,” he added. “You’ve got to try the barbecue. If you had to go to a place in Memphis I recommend Central BBQ.”
The biggest shaper of Carvin is overcoming adversity. He attended multiple different high schools and moved around.
Meeting new people and trying to make new friends after moving around a lot, it was kind of tough. My mom was in the military so I stayed in a single-parent household with my dad. It was kind of hard, but I overcame that, relying on my academics and playing football. Overcoming adversity has been a big part of my life.
- Jerome Carvin
The senior is set to graduate in December with a degree in communications studies and has been able to cherish every moment he has spent on Rocky Top. He is the embodiment of what it means to bear the torch, but he is not finished yet as he will be returning for his super-senior season in 2022.