KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Between April 19 and April 21, the University of Tennessee representatives and former football head coach Jeremy Pruitt will appear in front of an NCAA panel for a hearing regarding recruiting violations that happened between 2019 and 2020.
WHAT HAPPENED
Former Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt led the program between 2019 and 2020.
Pruitt and nine other staffers were fired 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.
Four people who previously worked for the Tennessee Football program agreed with NCAA enforcement staff on the violations and the "appropriate penalties" that come with them. Sources close to WBIR said three of the staffers were former personnel director Drew Hughes, as well as assistant coaches Shelton Felton and Brian Niedermeyer.
The NCAA said the four agreed to face penalties, including show-clause orders varying from three years to five years. A show-clause order does not necessarily mean their careers are over, but it does place a significant burden on any school that may try to hire them in order for the school to also avoid penalties. Historically, many coaches who receive show-clause orders never return to roles in collegiate athletics.
ABOUT THE NCAA HEARING
The University of Tennessee, Pruitt and former defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley will appear before this NCAA panel in Cincinnati between Wednesday and Friday.
John Brice, a WBIR Vols insider and national college football writer for footballscoop.com, reports the most significant thing is that this hearing is even occurring.
Sources tell WBIR the university hoped this wouldn't be a necessity because Tennessee had submitted its own negotiated resolution. The NCAA has not approved UT's set of resolutions.
This hearing is also taking place because Pruitt and Ansley both have not accepted any suggested penalties from the NCAA, unlike the four who have.
People like Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White and UT's legal counsel will be present in Cincinnati this week The panel will also interview other parties over Zoom from around the country that could possibly do with the allegations and findings against Tennessee during this protracted process.
POSSIBLE PUNISHMENTS AND WHEN THEY COULD HAPPEN
Brice reports since the NCAA did not completely accept the university's negotiated settlement, Tennessee could get a much stiffer penalty and the NCAA maintains the right to issue Tennessee a postseason bowl penalty.
Brice reports the NCAA has not indicated it's going to do so, but because of the fact it didn't accept Tennessee's resolution and Tennessee initially said it wouldn't accept a bowl ban initially, it is possible.
It could just be penalties in recruiting, capabilities scholarship losses and a fine. Sources tell WBIR that fine would be a seven-figure fine for Tennessee Athletics.
Sources tell WBIR Ansley will have a strong case. but Pruitt's case is uncertain. Pruitt is facing a show-cause penalty.
Multiple sources have indicated that Tennessee doesn't want a punishment to be given until July because there are some NCAA rule changes happening over the next 90 days. The decision on punishments could happen from now through July.
