Report: Former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt hired as P.E. teacher

Former Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt has reportedly been hired as a physical education teacher at his alma mater, Plainview (Alabama) High School, according to Paige Dauer of WVLT in Knoxville. It is located in his hometown of Rainsville, Alabama.

Pruitt’s NCAA infractions case stemming from his time at Tennessee recently reached a conclusion, handing him a six-year show-cause. Pruitt was the head coach at Tennessee from 2018-20, and his tenure ended when Tennessee self-reported an array of NCAA violations.

According to the Knoxville News, Pruitt was hired July 27 and will also will coach junior high boys basketball at the K-12 school, per the DeKalb County superintendent’s office. Pruitt’s wife, Casey Pruitt, was also hired on July 13 as an English teacher at the same school, the Knox News reported.

The Pruitts’ employment contracts begin Aug. 1, pending a background check and required certifications.

The ruling earlier this summer in his infractions case found Tennessee had committed hundreds of NCAA violations.

Prior to taking the Tennessee job, Pruitt had been the defensive coordinator at Alabama, Georgia and Florida State along with serving in a number of other roles at various college and high school programs.

Pruitt’s tenure landed Tennessee in some very hot water

Tennessee will pay a hefty fine of $8 million, but Volunteers fans will be happy to learn they avoided any kind of postseason ban. As for Pruitt, the former leader of the program was hit with a six year show-cause order.

“Should the head coach become employed in an athletically related position at an NCAA school during that show-cause order, he shall be subject to a suspension from 100% of the first season of his employment,” the NCAA revealed.

According to Chris Low of ESPN, the fine against the Volunteers is one of the largest in history, and will actually be closer to $9 million when its all said and done.

“The $8 million fine imposed against @Vol_Football is one of the heaviest in history and will be closer to $9 million when you factor in all of the revenue penalties against the football program,” tweeted Low.

The penalties stem from an original report from the NCAA, alleging and detailing 18 NCAA violations, including an allegation of $60,000 in cash or gifts given to football recruits or players by Jeremy Pruitt, his wife, numerous coaches, staff and boosters. 

All 18 of the violations are Level I violations. Level I is the most severe infraction on the scale from one through four.

The NCAA claimed that Pruitt and staff gave players cash and gifts throughout his tenure in Knoxville, which spanned from 2018 to 2021. The report also details that his wife, Casey Pruitt, paid more than $15,000 in rent and car payments for a Tennessee player and his mother. That arrangement reportedly went on for two and a half years.