2014 Big 12 Media Days: Sam Carter wants to be the best TCU safety ever

DALLAS, TX — One player I had a joy talking with Monday afternoon was TCU Horned Frogs safety Sam Carter. The safety will be a senior in 2014, and while it’s his last season at Texas Christian, Carter and the Frogs have a lot of work left to do.

TCU went 2-7 in Big 12 play in 2013. They ended 4-8 overall, two wins short of bowl eligibility. However, this year may be a turning point for the Horned Frogs.

Jul 21, 2014; Dallas, TX, USA; TCU safety Sam Carter poses for a photo during the Big 12 Media Day at the Omni Dallas. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

They have three players on the All-Big 12 preseason team, all of which, are on the defensive side of the ball.

One of those guys is Chucky Hunter. A senior himself, Hunter said other than himself, Carter was the strongest pound-for-pound player TCU has on its roster.

However, Carter isn’t about the spotlight.

“I want to make sure it’s never about me,” Carter said. “When the spotlight is on you, that’s when you say ‘take it off me’ and put it on others. I know I work hard and do extra stuff, but I can’t win a game by myself.”

Carter has had a productive career, though. While he’s not too focused on individual accomplishments, the 6’1″ safety finished his 2013 season with 49 tackles, four sacks, and five interceptions, one of which ended in a TCU touchdown.

The Horned Frogs are still new and getting acclimated to life in the Big 12 Conference, and while it is certainly hard to recruit instate against the likes of the Texas Longhorns, Baylor Bears, and Texas A&M Aggies, Carter sees no reason to lie to recruits and try to persuade them to a school they may not actually enjoy. However, Carter is happy with life in Fort Worth.

“You can either spend four years at a program you don’t enjoy at all, or you can go somewhere where you are blessed, people are with you, have faith, and you’re excited,” the 2014 All-Big 12 preseason selection said.

And while it is tough to compete in the Big 12, Carter is focused on leaving a legacy that people won’t ever forget.

“I want to be the best safety to ever play at TCU,” says Carter. “I believe, if you don’t want to be the best, why play? When I leave I want people to say Sam Carter was the best safety to ever step on TCU’s campus.”

With seven conference losses last season, there are plenty of opportunities for Sam Carter to get some revenge on the rest of the league. When asked what offense he was most looking forward to, this was his answer.

“All of them,” Carter said with a straight face. “Even the teams we beat, I’m excited. I always tell them, I forgive them, but I never forget.”