Tennessee must vacate 2019, 2020 wins in recruiting violations punishment

The University of Tennessee will face more punishments for recruiting infractions during Jeremy Pruitt’s three-year tenure as the football team’s head coach.

In addition to the $8 million fine the school owes, the football program must vacate all of its 11 wins recorded during the 2019 and 2020 seasons, ESPN reported.

The violations included 18 Level 1 violations involving “recruiting rules violations and direct payments to prospects, current student-athletes and their families,” according to the NCAA’s report. 

The violations were “egregious and expansive,” according to Kay Norton, who led the NCAA panel that ruled on the university, according to the Associated Press. 

According to ESPN, Tennessee had 16 players that were ineligible during the 2019 and 2020 seasons due to their involvement in the violations.

The football program will also have a five-year probation period and lose 28 scholarships and 36 official visits.

Pruitt, who went 16-19 — which will now be 5-19 — during his time with the Volunteers, was fired after a 3-7 season in 2020.

The 49-year-old was given a six-year show-cause order and will have to sit out the first season if he’s able to land another job during that window.

Seven of Pruitt’s assistant coaches and staff members also got show-cause orders for multiple years.

Former defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley said that the violations “were caused and overseen by” Pruitt and other members of the staff, the Knoxville News Sentinel reported.

The school will not face a bowl ban after cooperating with the NCAA’s probe