Tennessee athletic director Danny White releases statement regarding Notice of Allegations

Tennessee got hit with some serious penalties as part of a Notice of Allegations on Friday stemming from Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure in Knoxville. After the news came out, athletic director Danny White released a statement about the situation.

The Volunteers received the 51-page Notice of Allegations on Friday detailing 18 Level I violations by Pruitt and his staff — the most severe infractions. It included an allegation of $60,000 in cash or gifts given to football recruits or players by Pruitt, his wife, numerous coaches, staff and booster. White acknowledged the notice, but said he can’t comment on any details at this time.

“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,” White stated. “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.”

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Reports: NCAA slaps Tennessee, former coach Jeremy Pruitt with 18 total violations

The University of Tennessee received a notice of allegations from the NCAA on Friday, according to The Knox News which obtained the 51-page report. The report alleges and details 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 booster.

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

The Volunteers fired Pruitt for cause in January 2021. The NCAA noted in the report that the program provided “exemplary cooperation” with their investigation. The allegations do not include lack of institutional control, which would have had serious implications for the future of the program.

The NCAA alleges 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.