Report: Jeremy Pruitt, Tennessee hosted Walter Nolen for impermissible, nearly $3,000 visit

More details of the violations committed by Jeremy Pruitt’s staff at Tennessee continue to emerge. The Volunteers hosted Walter Nolen for an impermissible visit that cost thousands of dollars, The Knoxville News Sentinel’s Mike Wilson reported.

Nolen’s visit was worth more than $3,000, Wilson reported, and it took place in the middle of the COVID-19 dead period. Former assistant Brian Niedermeyer allegedly withdrew $4,000 across five transactions from Oct. 6-8, 2020 apparently to pay for the visit and during the investigation, he said his girlfriend withdrew those funds for a shopping trip.

Ultimately, though, Nolen — a Powell (TN) product — committed to Texas A&M as part of its highly touted recruiting class. He had 29 tackles along with 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack as a freshman in 2022.

Nolen was the top-rated recruit on the trail, coming in as the No. 1 player from the 2022 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies.. He was also a Five Star Plus+ recruit, meaning he was one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five star.

Nolen’s visit is one of many coming to light in wake of the NCAA’s announcement outlining the penalties against Pruitt and Tennessee. The Volunteers avoided a bowl ban, but the program has to pay an $8 million fine and Pruitt received a six-year show cause penalty. A show-cause penalty means a school will have present reasons to the NCAA why it wants to hire one of them to its staff during that time period.

Knox News: Former Georgia TE Darnell Washington visited Tennessee, received money

The Knox News also reported a visit involving Darnell Washington in which he received money from Niedermeyer during the process. During Washington’s recruitment, Niedermeyer apparently delivered cash in a parking lot and accompanied Washington’s family on the flight to his official visit, according to the Knox News.

Niedermeyer was one of the many Pruitt assistants implicated in the NCAA’s investigation and received a five-year show-cause penalty as a result. Former outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton, director of player personnel Drew Hughes and student assistant coach Michael Magness also received show-cause penalties ranging from three to five years.

In July 2022, Tennessee received a Notice of Allegations regarding 18 violations against the program during Pruitt’s time at the helm. 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 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 alleged 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.