KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The NCAA announced its penalties Friday against the University of Tennessee after a years-long investigation into recruiting violations.
UT will not face a postseason ban for the violations, however, the NCAA levied an over $8 million fine against the school that it said was the equivalent of the financial impact the school would have faced if it missed the postseason during the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
The team will be on a five-year probation. If they have any major violations during that probation, that could result in Tennessee getting harsher penalties such as a postseason ban. The Vols will lose 28 scholarships during that probation period.
Chief panelist of the NCAA Infractions Committee Kay Norton said they did not want to give a postseason ban to Tennessee because the current student-athletes did nothing wrong. The university's willingness to help in the investigation also played a big part in this too.
The NCAA levied several show-cause penalties to former staffers. Former head coach Jeremy Pruitt received a six-year show cause. Should the head coach become employed in an athletically related position at an NCAA school during that show-cause order, he shall be subject to a suspension from 100% of the first season of his employment. Other staffers received show cause penalties from two to 10 years as well.
The NCAA held a news conference at 1 p.m. to discuss the infractions. You can watch that below.
UT called the decision a "positive outcome."
"No postseason ban! We already self-imposed the majority of our penalties over the last two years. We already reduced 18 scholarships. We already held no official/unofficial visits for two games the past two years. Bottom line – none of this will change our goals and dreams at Tennessee as we chase SEC and National Championships!" UT said.
UT fired Pruitt and nine other staffers in January 2021 after an investigation into recruiting violations. Pruitt was fired from his position as head coach for failing to promptly report recruiting violations committed by nine employees under his leadership.
In July 2022, the university received a notice of allegations from the NCAA for 18 allegations that the football program had spent nearly $60,000 in "impermissible recruiting inducements and extra benefits," which could be considered bribes, to court both prospective and current student-athletes.
Pruitt claimed he had no knowledge of these recruiting violations, even though those involved included his wife and direct reports to him.
During the NCAA hearing back in April over these matters, sources told WBIR in June that UT Chancellor Donde Plowman, Athletic Director Danny White and SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey vouched on Tennessee's behalf, arguing against a postseason ban because it would penalize student-athletes.