KNOXVILLE, Tenn — The University of Tennessee has hired outside counsel to assist in a compliance investigation into the football program, UT director of news and information Tyra Haag told 10News on Monday.
"We take seriously our institutional commitment to NCAA compliance, and are reviewing regulatory issues that have been brought to our attention. As part of that process, we are currently working with attorneys Kyle Skillman and Michael Glazier with Bond, Schoeneck & King. We will provide additional information when it's appropriate," Haag said.
Multiple reports, including ESPN and Fox Sports Knox's Trey Wallace, alleged in mid-December that the football program was being investigated by its own compliance department for possible violations.
In a statement shared at the time of the reports, UT spokesperson Tom Satkowiak said, "In keeping with our institutional commitment to compliance, we often look closely at regulatory issues that are brought to our attention via internal or external channels. Maintaining compliance is a shared responsibility, and active monitoring is part of that process."
When first questioned about it after the final game of the regular season, head coach Jeremy Pruitt didn't share much.
"Anytime in college football or college athletics you have typical compliance stuff and that's all I know," Pruitt said.
The two attorneys hired focus their practice on collegiate sports. Skillman, according to the law firms website, is, "principally responsible for counseling NCAA member institutions nationwide in the course of enforcement investigations, and working with colleges and universities to investigate, process and report NCAA rules violations."
Glazier is a well-known name in NCAA circles, co-founding Slive/Glazier Sports Group, the first sports law practice concentrating exclusively in the representation of colleges and universities in NCAA-related matters.
He worked previously on the NCAA staff.
His focus now is on NCAA infractions, eligibility and compliance-related issues.
