Four former Tennessee Vols football staff members have accepted agreements with the NCAA for recruiting violations and other penalties that happened during former coach Jeremy Pruitt’s tenure in Knoxville, Tenn., SI.com reported Tuesday. The media outlet named them: linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer, outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton, director of player personnel Drew Hughes, and student assistant Michael Magness.
The NCAA announced the multi-year penalties on Tuesday but did not name the coaches. The investigation was launched when evidence was found that recruits had received cash payments three to five years ago and that the Vols violated recruiting rules during the CoVID pandemic, among other infractions.
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Pruitt and nine others involved with the football program were fired in Jan. 2021 after Tennessee announced “serious violations of NCAA rules” and relieved Pruitt of his position after three seasons.
The four former assistant coaches listed above agreed to the show-cause penalties handed down by the NCAA. The university and other individuals named have not fully agreed to the penalties. The four who have agreed will be able to serve their penalties starting immediately for lengths that vary (three to five years). If any NCAA member school opts to hire any of them, the new school and former Vols coaches would have to meet with the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions before the hiring could be finalized.
Niedermeyer coaches at the high school level, currently, as does Felton. Hughes works with the NFL’s Jacksonville Jaguars, and Magness is no longer in football.
“Through that process, the individuals acknowledged their involvement in violations, including unethical conduct and, in some cases, failing to cooperate with investigators,” the school said in a release. “The university continues to pursue a resolution of its case that recognizes and demonstrates for other NCAA member institutions that the actions taken by the university during the investigation, including our swift corrective actions and exemplary cooperation, should be the standard for institutional inquiries into potential violations.”
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