Former Tennessee Vols head coach Jeremy Pruitt appears to be on his way back to college football.

Earlier this month, it was reported by AL.com that Pruitt was “seeking a court order against the NCAA so that he can return to a college sideline.”

Pruitt received a six-year, show-cause ban in 2023 for his role in the 2020-21 recruiting scandal at Tennessee.

According to the same report, several college programs, including Jacksonville State, have shown recent interest in hiring Pruitt.

Jacksonville State cleared to hire Jeremy Pruitt as an analyst

According to 247Sports’ Mike Rodak, the NCAA has “approved” Jacksonville State’s plan to hire Pruitt as an analyst.

“The NCAA informed Jacksonville State this week that it was clear to hire former Tennessee coach and one-time Alabama defensive coordinator Jeremy Pruitt as an analyst,” wrote Rodak. “In a letter dated Monday, the NCAA accepted the terms of Jacksonville State’s proposal to add Pruitt to its staff despite a six-year ‘show cause’ order Pruitt was given in 2023 as part of an NCAA infractions ruling. The school and NCAA held a show-cause hearing October 23 regarding Pruitt.”

According to Rodak’s report, the NCAA’s approval for Jacksonville State to hire Pruitt does “not apply to any other institution that should wish to employ Mr. Pruitt during the remainder of the show-cause period.”

It sounds like Pruitt still has some work to do if he wants to return to the SEC, but this is at least the start of the former Tennessee head coach’s efforts to get back into major college football.

This article was originally published on A to Z Sports Tennessee Vols as Former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt has reportedly been ‘cleared’ to be hired by interested college football program.

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