The NCAA delivered its official notice of allegations to Tennessee on Friday regarding violations that allegedly occurred under former coach Jeremy Pruitt, according to a document obtained by the Knoxville News-Sentinel. There are a total of 18 violations in the letter, all of which are Level I — the most serious in the NCAA’s scale of infractions.
Tennessee players and their families allegedly received approximately $60,000 in cash and gifts provided by Pruitt, his wife, assistant coaches and others associated with the school. Pruitt is accused of failing to promote an atmosphere of compliance and monitor football staff from 2018-21, and the university is accused of failing to monitor its recruiting plans.
The violations were self-reported by Tennessee after it conducted an inquiry that led to Pruitt’s dismissal in January 2021.
“Receipt of our Notice of Allegations was an expected, requisite step in this process — a process our university initiated proactively through decisive and transparent actions,” athletic director Danny White said in a statement. “This moves us one step closer to a final resolution. Until we get to that point, I am unable to discuss the case in any detail. As a university, we understand the need to take responsibility for what occurred, but we remain committed to protecting our current and future student-athletes.”