Joseph Carter

Class:
Senior
Position:
LB
Height:
6-0
Weight:
235
Hometown:
Jacksonville, Fla.

2025 (Sr.):

Phil Steele CUSA Preseason All-Conference First-Team
Athlon Sports CUSA Preseason All-Conference First-Team

2024 (Jr.):

Linebacker of the Year by the Touchdown Club of Richmond
VaSID All-State First-Team honoree
Conference USA Second-Team selection
Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member
Saw playing time in all 12 games, including 11 starts
Led the Flames with a career-high 88 tackles
Had 30 more tackles than the second-ranked player on the team
Also added 5.0 tackles for a loss (18 yards) and 1.5 sacks (8 yards)
Recorded three pass breakups
Second-highest graded linebacker in Conference USA by PFF.com (77.1 grade)
PFF.com snap count: 697 (564 – defense; 133 – special team)
Ranked third on Liberty’s roster in defensive snap count
Finished the season with five games with 10 or more tackles
Five tackles against New Mexico State, including four solo tackles
Finished with a season-high 13 tackles against UTEP, including nine solo tackles
Seven tackles against East Carolina, including five solo stops and a two-yard sack
11 tackles against Kennesaw State, including 2.5 tackles for a loss
10 stops against Jacksonville State, including six solo tackles
11 tackles against UMass, including five solo tackles
Named Conference USA Defensive Player of the Week after the UMass game
10 stops against Western Kentucky, including nine assisted tackles
Five tackles against Sam Houston, including a six-yard sack
Five tackles against Buffalo in Liberty’s appearance in the Bahamas Bowl, including four solo tackles and a pass breakup

2023 (So.):

Conference USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll member
Saw playing time in all 14 games
Started the last nine games of the season
Ranked third on the team in total tackles (59)
Finished the year with 33 solo tackles and 26 assisted stops
Also added 1.5 tackles for a loss (2 yards) and a pass breakup
Helped the Flames ranked No. 1 in the country in total interceptions (21 as a team)
Finished the season with one interception in Liberty’s win over UMass
Had four games with seven or more tackles
Four tackles, including three solo stops, in a road win at Buffalo
Recorded a season-high 11 tackles, including seven solo stops, at Jacksonville State
Also had a pass breakup at Jacksonville State
Seven tackles, including five solo stops, at WKU
Eight stops against Louisiana Tech, including five solo tackles
Helped Liberty secure the CUSA title with 10 tackles against New Mexico State in the CUSA Football Championship
Four stops, including three assisted tackles, against No. 8 Oregon in the Vrbo Fiesta Bowl

2022 (R-Fr.):

Played in one game
Saw his first time on the field as a Flame during Liberty’s appearance in the Boca Raton Bowl against Toledo

2021 (Fr.):

Redshirted

Prep:

Graduated from University Christian School in Jacksonville, Fla.
Started on both sides of the ball
Also played basketball

Personal:

Son of Patricia and Michael Carter, Sr.
Graduated with his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management in May 2025
Currently pursuing his master’s degree in Sport Management
Birthday is September 6

Student-Athlete Q&A
What made Liberty University the right place for you to attend college/compete at the collegiate level?
I wanted to get out of Florida and see new places and new experiences. I Also wanted to be around like-minded people who have Christ at the front of their minds. I wanted to be able to focus on myself and allow God to transform my mind, body, and spirit to get me ready for the next level of my life.

Who in your life inspires you and why are they such an inspiration?
My parents made me who I am today. I got to learn from them in different ways, but both ways affected and I still to this day learn from them and respect them more and more. My mother taught me to live and be the light in an evil world and walk within the fruit of the spirit of Christ. My dad taught me how to work hard and understand that there are no handouts in life and taught me to handle business. I've watched him go to work day in day out, always come home with no complaints eager to ask about his family’s day. I love them both, they taught me to walk with Christ and do the best I can in everything I do.

What is your most memorable athletic moment/accomplishment?
Coming off the field win or lose and seeing how happy my family is and how proud I make them and searching the stands at random times to see if I can find them.

If you picked your jersey/uniform number, why is that number important to you?
My number symbolizes the covenant I have with God and the reason I play this sport, which is to fulfill my purpose.

What is the first app you check on your phone each day?
Teamworks unfortunately because I can’t be late to anything.

What is your favorite hobby outside of athletics?
I like to listen to music.

Who was your favorite athlete growing up?
Westbrook