RAINSVILLE, Ala. — Former Tennessee football head coach Jeremy Pruitt has been hired as a physical education teacher by Plainview High School in Alabama.
The high school confirmed the news Thursday, saying he will also coach the junior high school basketball team. It's the high school he attended, played football at and was an assistant football coach at. His dad is the head football coach there.
Pruitt received a six-year show-cause penalty on July 14 from the NCAA for the recruiting violations that happened under his tenure at UT.
Tennessee 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.
UT didn't receive a postseason ban for its coming season as a result but will have to pay over $8 million in fines for the recruiting violations. They also will lose scholarships and be on probation over the next five years.
It also resulted in a loss of 11 wins as Tennessee had to vacate those as a part of the punishment given by the NCAA.