NCAA Violations Cause Trouble With Tennessee Football
Knoxville, Tennessee (PSF) - It appears that the University of Tennessee’s football program has been penalized by the NCAA for multiple violations during coach Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure. As a result, the program has been ordered to vacate all 11 of its wins from the 2019 and 2020 seasons. This means that the wins will be removed from the program’s official record book.
The violations outlined in the report included over 200 infractions committed during Pruitt’s three-year tenure at the university. The NCAA classified 18 of these violations as Level I, which are considered the most severe. The violations mainly involved recruiting infractions and providing direct payments to athletes and their families, totaling approximately $60,000 in benefits.
As part of the penalties, the university was fined $8 million, and four staff members, including coach Jeremy Pruitt, were issued show-cause orders, meaning they face restrictions on their involvement in college athletics for a specified period.
With the vacated wins, Pruitt’s final record as head coach at Tennessee is adjusted to 5-19, and the university’s all-time record is now 856-410-53. The NCAA took these actions to enforce accountability and uphold the integrity of college sports.