On The Plains with Trill Carter: 'Blessed to be here'

AUBURN, Ala. – For senior defensive lineman Trill Carter, coming to Auburn was a dream come true. Knowing former players from his hometown who went on to be stars at Auburn, it was always the school he wanted to attend, and he never gave up on that dream. 

After an impressive playing career at Minnesota and Texas, Carter transferred to Auburn in January with one season left to play.

“Before I started getting recruited in high school, this was my dream school,” he said. “I had always wanted to play here because some people from my hometown played here, like Montravius Adams and Big Kat Bryant. I just always wanted to follow in those guys’ footsteps, but I never had the opportunity.” 

Carter, a 23-year-old from Leesburg, Georgia, played his senior season at Lee County High School. He enrolled at Minnesota out of high school; while playing for the Gophers, he got his bachelor’s degree in 2023 in youth studies, which has been a passion of his. 
 
“I have always had my foot in the door with being around young kids and mentoring young kids,” the Academic All-Big Ten honoree said. “That’s what I have been doing my whole college career.”
 
After his four-year stint at Minnesota, Carter transferred to Texas for the 2023 season and continued to gain experience with age and being around veteran players. Now a veteran himself, he’s confident as he takes aim at his goals for the upcoming season with Auburn. 

“To win, I have been a part of some good teams with Texas and Minnesota, so I have had experience there,” Carter said. “Individually, I have not set any (goals) yet, but I just came here to help the team any way I can. I’m an older player with a lot of experience and I’ve played a lot of football. I don’t want to just throw out stats and stuff. I want to be able to help my team as much as I can.” 

As he approaches his final season of college football, Carter is more than ready after learning from older players throughout his career. 
 
“It is finally here,” he said. “As a young guy, you don’t take advantage of those years. I remember when I was a freshman and sophomore and there were fifth- and sixth-year guys on my team. I thought I could never be in their situations. I would stop playing. Now the tables have turned. Now I am in their situation.” 
 
Carter’s dream of playing at Auburn stayed with him even after he left high school and went to Minnesota, and when that dream became a reality this April, playing for Auburn in the annual A-Day spring game, it was a feeling unlike any other. 

“It felt unreal because I never thought I would be here,” Carter said. “I never thought I would get the opportunity, and it took years for me to get here. I loved the experience, and I am just blessed to be here. This is where I have always wanted to be. Growing up, I always watched Auburn football, and my past teammates played for Auburn. It was overall a great experience, especially with most of the fans out there.” 

Carter, who is studying in the College of Liberal Arts at Auburn, has always wanted to mentor young children. When his playing career is over, he has aspirations of coaching high school football just like his mentor, his high school coach Shelton Felton. 

“He’s like a father figure to me,” Carter said of Felton. “I just look up to him and how he raised me and taught me a lot of things. That’s what I want to do, I want to have an impact on the lives of young boys and girls and be a positive role model.” 

Throughout his career, Carter’s motivation has always been family – specifically his nieces and nephews: Trinity, Mijah, Melvin, Messiah, Jordan and Travis. 
 
“I will always be there for them, and I know they will always be there for me,” the proud uncle said. “Their dad is not really in their life, and I feel like I have to step up and be somebody that they to look up to and come to when they have stuff to talk about. I feel like I’m in a good position to motivate them or be a mentor to them.” 

Football has been a very important part of Carter’s life, and now being able to finish his collegiate career at Auburn, he was able to reflect on the impact football has had on him. 
 
“There is just so much,” he said. “I feel like football taught me everything. It prepares you for the real world. With all the stuff that we do, whether it’s time consuming or how hard we are working and different things that we do, it definitely prepares you for life.” 

With the landscape of college football getting shaken up this offseason, Carter is now in the same conference as the school he just left. But he is not worried about new opponents. Instead, he is just focusing on his performance for the team. 
 
“For me, I don’t really focus on the opponents or the conferences,” Carter said. “I have to focus on myself because if I’m not where I need to be, then I won’t have a good game or season. I don’t really try to focus on my opponents. I just try to focus on me to be the best I can for the team with the summer workouts, spring workouts, fall camps. I just try to do what I do and get stronger, get healthier and just ball out for the season.”
 
With the 2024 season less than two months away, Carter is excited for his first game in Jordan-Hare Stadium when the Tigers host Alabama A&M for Kickoff on the Plains on August 31. 

“There is always a shock in your body when you are walking out there, waiting in the locker room or you are hearing all the fans and stuff,” Carter said. “That’s one of those feelings that sticks with you for a lifetime.”

But while he is certainly excited for his first game, Carter is not nervous. He’s been preparing his whole career, and he’s ready for the challenge. When asked about his mindset approaching a game, he needed just three words: “Cool, calm, collected.”

“I am going into every game calm, and I am not stressing,” Carter said. “I am playing free for each game and being myself.”