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NCAA sent University of Tennessee The notice of charges on Friday details 18 Level I rules violations against the football program under former head coach Jeremy Pruitt and his staff.
Pruitt, who coached Tennessee from 2018 to 2020, was fired in January 2021 after the university conducted an internal investigation.
Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt walks past a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Neyland Stadium on November 30, 2019 in Knoxville, Tenn.
(Brian Lin/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
In notice to the University, The NCAA alleges that Pruitt According to multiple reports, about $60,000 was spent in unfair recruitment solicitations paid to players and their families.
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Among its allegations, the NCAA claims that members of the football program hosted six prospects during the COVID-19 dead period between July 2020 and November 2020 and spent approximately $12,173 in unfair recruitment inducements. During the dead period of COVID-19, schools were not allowed to enroll in any campus.
The University of Tennessee has not been charged with a lack of institutional control because of its cooperation in the investigation.
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According to ESPN, Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman said in a statement, “At every stage of this process, we took swift and decisive action that exemplified the long-standing values of the NCAA reiterated in the membership’s new constitution. ”
“The university hired outside counsel to thoroughly investigate allegations of the football program, took immediate action to terminate the employment of football coaches and staff members, and shared our findings.” NCAA Enforcement Staff,
University of Tennessee Volunteers coach Jeremy Pruitt during the 2019 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Indiana University Hoosiers on January 2, 2020 at TIAA Banks Field in Jacksonville, Fla.
(Aaron Gilbert/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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The NCAA also alleged that from October 2018 to December 2020, Pruitt, Chantrys Boone (assistant director of recruiting) and Bethany Gunn (director of recruitment) provided approximately $12,707 in unfair recruiting solicitation to a potential player and his family members. Did it These benefits came in the form of hotel accommodation, food, airfare, cash payments, round-trip automobile transportation, furniture and household goods.
Tennessee Volunteers head coach Jeremy Pruitt walks ashore during the 2020 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl against the Indiana Hoosiers at TIAA Banks Field on January 2, 2020 in Jacksonville, Fla.
(Mary Holt/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Pruitt spoke to ESPN about the allegations.
“There’s a lot of information in the NCAA report for the first time I see and still read it,” Pruitt said. “I wouldn’t like to comment entirely… other than to say that I look forward to telling my side of the story somewhere down the road.”
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Pruitt leads 16-19 in three years at TennesseePutting together a winning season in 2019.