College Football World Reacts to Tennessee Notice of Allegations

Media members and others around college football are weighing in on the major allegations against the Volunteers and former coach Jeremy Pruitt.

The Tennessee football program has been accused of 18 violations from its time under former coach Jeremy Pruitt, per a notice of allegations sent to the program by the NCAA on Friday. All 18 allegations are considered Level I, the most serious designation that the NCAA has.

According to a copy of the NOA obtained by Sports Illustrated, Pruitt and his wife, along with other members of his Volunteers, are implicated in connection to around $60,000 in impermissible benefits and recruiting inducements to more than two dozen recruits and their families. Pruitt led the Vols to a 16–19 (10–16) record from 2018–20.

Former Tennessee football coach Jeremy Pruitt, his wife and several staff members provided about $60,000 of impermissible benefits and recruiting inducements to more than two dozen recruits and their families over a three-year period, per @RossDellenger: https://t.co/ZFycod6V8Y pic.twitter.com/CBNoaQwWF3

— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) July 22, 2022

Pruitt and his staff are accused of providing prospects with lodging, meals, transportation, goods and furniture, with Pruitt making payments of $3,000 and $6,000 in cash to the mothers of two recruits.

Pruitt and his staff were let go in 2021, and no member of the staff is believed to be working in college football at the moment. The former Vols coach spent ’21 with the Giants coaching staff, but was fired along with Joe Judge in January.

The allegations come against an up-and-coming SEC program—and one of the most storied in the sport—that has struggled to regain its footing atop its conference for decades now. The news has understandably made waves around the college football world.

A reminder that Josh Heupel's contract is structured with a potential NCAA hammer in mind both in its base length (6 years) and a clause that tacks on a 7th year if Tennessee gets a bowl ban of 2+ years or scholarship reduction of 8 or more. https://t.co/0UWrd2rrWz

— Richard🇬🇾Johnson (@RJ_cfb) July 22, 2022

Most humiliating part of this is that Tennessee only doled out $60,000. That's some Sun Belt level stuff. Come on Vols: do your civic duty, man.

— Dan Wetzel (@DanWetzel) July 22, 2022

Jeremy Pruitt went 16-19 in his three seasons at Tennessee and his team went 3-7 in his final year with all seven losses coming by double-digits. And now UT gets hit with a staggering 18 Level 1 violations. Just a disastrous run, on and off the field there. https://t.co/v3oTSZxgRr

— Bruce Feldman (@BruceFeldmanCFB) July 22, 2022

Tennessee: “You’re gonna help us avoid this buyout? Yeah, we’ll cooperate.” https://t.co/gCz0mpPOW7

— Ben Baby (@Ben_Baby) July 22, 2022

I'll guarantee nothing, but I think there's a decent chance Tennessee avoids the harshest punishments possible for these allegations and might not get much more than it already self-imposed. The harsh in-house response was a factor.

*Sort of* looks like this where this is going.

— Wes Rucker (@wesrucker247) July 22, 2022

The Tennessee allegations would have seemed extremely significant just a few years ago, as Pruitt is directly implicated in paying players. In the NIL era, however, many see them as relatively minor in the grand scheme of things.

UT's NOA comes at a time when athletes are being compensated thru NIL deals that, in many ways, are providing similar benefits as those listed in the NOA.

UT has one of the largest booster collectives in the US, tho the school is not affiliated with it - https://t.co/ZNDEGOzREX https://t.co/VGGUHCtfGm

— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) July 22, 2022

On Tennessee violations, yes a lot of players are getting a lot more $$$ than that now with NIL rules.

But money coming directly from coaches and money used as recruiting inducements are still against NCAA rules, even with NIL.

You can think that's dumb but it's worth noting.

— Chris Vannini (@ChrisVannini) July 22, 2022

Others are baffled at the lack of a “lack of institutional control” penalty against the school itself, with most of the focus going on Pruitt. According to the NCAA documents, the decision came “largely because of [Tennessee]‘s transparency and integrity in promptly handling the wrongdoing.” 

Amazing, Tennessee hit with 18 level one charges and not lack of institutional control?

NCAA continues to be the NCAA.

Wondering if they'll get a bowl ban?

Let's put it this way...don't bet on it.

— Tim Kephart (@timkephart33) July 22, 2022

Tennessee: Coach and wife shell out $60k to players over 3 years = No lack of institutional control.

Ole Miss: Coach allows player to sleep on couch for a night. Helps pay $300 light bill = Lack of institutional control.

Makes total sense. https://t.co/8HD3EI7iNu

— Nate Mills (@NateMills11) July 22, 2022

Jeremy Pruitt paid players. And Tennessee didn’t get accused of “lack of institutional control.” Wow. https://t.co/HN2cIE1dgS

— Jared Stillman (@JaredStillman) July 22, 2022

“The institution showed strong cooperation with NCAA investigators, conducted its own thorough internal investigation and took immediate steps in dismissing the staff members and sanctioning itself. The university docked itself 12 football scholarships last season, as well as imposing several more recruiting penalties,” sources tell SI‘s Ross Dellenger.

• Volunteer Country: Tennessee Leadership Releases Statement Regarding Receiving NCAA Notice of Allegations

For more Tennessee coverage, go to Volunteer Country.