2021: Saw action in all 12 games and made nine starts at safety…Ranked No. 5 on the team and No. 2 among defensive backs with a career-best 65 tackles (40 solo)…Finished seven games with five-plus tackles…At Clemson (Sept. 18): Totaled a career-high 13 tackles (nine solo) and helped limit the Tigers to 14 points, their fewest in an ACC game since GT held them to six points in a 28-6 victory on Nov. 15, 2014. Since that 2014 game, Clemson had not scored fewer than 20 points in any ACC game. The Tigers' 285 yards of total offense were also their fewest in an ACC game since they gained 190 in Georgia Tech's 28-6 win in 2014. Since that game, Clemson had not gained less than 300 yards in any ACC game…At Duke (Oct. 9): Registered four tackles (two solo) and a pass defensed when he broke up a pass from QB Gunnar Holmberg to RB Mataeo Durant on a third-and-6 late in the third quarter. The Blue Devils missed a 31-yard field goal on the next play and Georgia Tech remained up by seven points…At Miami (Nov. 6): Recorded seven tackles (six solo), a tackle for a loss and a pass defensed and forced a fumble late in the first quarter that was recovered by DB Wesley Walker at the Georgia Tech 14-yard line…At Notre Dame (Nov. 20): Led the team with nine tackles (five solo)…Vs. Georgia (Nov. 27): Finished No. 1 on the team with six tackles (four solo).
2020: Overcame offseason injuries to play in all 10 games, making nine starts at strong safety…Finished No. 5 on the team with 39 tackles (28 solo), two tackles for a loss, an INT and six passes defensed…Recorded at least three tackles in nine of 10 games and five-plus tackles in four contests…At Florida State (Sept. 12): Posted three tackles (two solo) and a pass defensed in a three-point victory. Broke up a pass from QB James Blackman to WR Terry Tamorrion on a third-and-7 at the Georgia Tech 38 in the second quarter. The win was the Yellow Jackets' first true road victory to open the season since 2007 at Notre Dame…Vs. Central Florida (Sept. 19): Tallied five tackles, including a season-high five solo tackles…At Boston College (Oct. 24): Totaled a season-high six tackles (three solo) and a pass defensed…Vs. Duke (Nov. 28): Registered five tackles (four solo), 1½ tackles for a loss, a season-high three passes defensed and an INT early in the third quarter that he returned 43 yards to the Duke 24 to set up a TD on the next play.
2019: Appeared in 11 games with 10 starts at strong safety…Led all defensive backs on the team and finished No. 3 overall with a career-high 62 tackles (48 solo)…Also recorded two tackles for a loss, an INT, a forced fumble and six passes defensed…Registered three tackles on special teams…Finished with a season-best seven tackles in five games – vs. South Florida (Sept. 7), vs. North Carolina (Oct. 5), at Duke (Oct. 12), at Miami (Oct. 19), and at Virginia (Nov. 9)…Vs. The Citadel (Sept. 14): Registered five tackles (all solo) and forced his second career fumble…At Miami (Oct. 19): Tallied seven tackles (six solo) and made the game-winning solo stop in OT when he tackled TE Brevin Jordan after a 3-yard gain on fourth-and-4 to seal the victory…Vs. Pittsburgh (Nov. 2): Totaled six tackles (four solo) and registered his third career INT, picking off QB Kenny Pickett at the Pittsburgh 40 late in the first quarter…Vs. Virginia Tech (Nov. 16): Recorded three tackles (all solo) and a season-high two passes defensed.
2018: Started all 13 games at strong safety, finishing No. 4 on the team with 55 tackles (35 solo) and tying for the team lead with a career-best two INTs and seven passes defended…Tied for No. 3 on the team with five special teams tackles (all on kickoff coverage)…Registered at least one tackle in 12 of 13 games and multiple stops in 10 of 13 contests…Posted a pass defensed in seven games…At South Florida (Sept. 8): Intercepted a pass on the opening series and had one tackle (solo), but was ejected from the game due to a targeting penalty one defensive series later…At Pittsburgh (Sept. 15): Posted five tackles (all solo), including one for a loss, and a pass defensed…Vs. Clemson (Sept. 22): Totaled eight stops (five solo), his second-highest total of the season…At North Carolina (Nov. 3): Recorded a key INT that led to Georgia Tech's go-ahead TD in the fourth quarter of a 35-28 victory…Vs. Miami (Nov. 10): Notched six tackles (three solo) and a pass defensed and forced a fumble…Vs. Virginia (Nov. 17): Posted a season-high 10 tackles (five solo) in an overtime win.
2017: Saw action in six games, including five of the final six contests…At Miami (Oct. 14): Made his collegiate debut…Saw action primarily on special teams, with both of his tackles (Nov. 4 at Virginia, Nov. 18 at Duke) coming in punt coverage.
HIGH SCHOOL: Was a four-year letterwinner and three-year captain at Long County High School (Ludowici, Ga.), earning first-team all-state honors as a senior from RecruitGeorgia.com…Also was an all-region, all-district and all-area honoree…Played defensive back and wide receiver and returned kicks during his prep career…Registered the longest kickoff return in school history as a senior…Also played basketball for two seasons and was a two-year captain of the track and field team, participating in the long jump, high jump, triple jump and the 4×100-meter relay.
PERSONAL: Given name Tariq Marquese Carpenter…First name is pronounced tuh-REEK…Born in Little Rock, Ark. …Is one of nine siblings…His mother, Demetria Fiffie, played basketball at Central Methodist University (1992-96)…Mother went on to become a staff sergeant in the U.S. Army, serving five international tours of duty, including three deployments to Iraq and one to Afghanistan…His uncle, Thurlos Pearson, played football at Missouri…Has done volunteer work with The Salvation Army.
