Tennessee reportedly under investigation for potential NIL violations
University of Tennessee athletics is apparently going to have to deal with an investigation once again. Per multiple outlets with the first report coming from SI's Pat Forde, Tennessee is under investigation by the NCAA for potential rules violations relating to benefits to athletes for name, image, and likeness. The reports note that multiple sports […]
University of Tennessee athletics is apparently going to have to deal with an investigation once again.
Per multiple outlets with the first report coming from SI's Pat Forde, Tennessee is under investigation by the NCAA for potential rules violations relating to benefits to athletes for name, image, and likeness. The reports note that multiple sports are encompassed in the investigation with football included.
The university has acknowledged the existence of the investigation but did not comment further.
Tennessee is just over six months removed from receiving a significant penalty from the NCAA. In July 2023, the NCAA found 18 Level 1 violations stemming from Jeremy Pruitt's tenure from 2018 to 2020. Although it avoided a postseason ban, the school received a strong penalty that included an $8 million fine, five years of probation, a reduction in 28 scholarships, and vacating all wins from the 2019 and 2020 seasons. Jeremy Pruitt also received a six-year show cause penalty.
UT managed to avoid a postseason ban, in part, because it reportedly showed "exemplary cooperation" in the investigation per NCAA hearing officer Kay Norton.
Now, Tennessee will have to potentially contend with another investigation, and how it will be handled is a mystery at this point. With very little NCAA precedent – Florida State was the first school punished for NIL violations earlier this month – and with varying state laws on the books, it will be a major mess for the NCAA to unwind. Most if not all NIL collectives are also separate entities from the universities themselves.
Time will soon tell if the Vols will have to be a guinea pig for that process.
