The Vols Basketball head coach has been suspended due to a misunderstanding, which is unbelievable news for the brave fans.
The Vols Basketball head coach has been suspended due to a misunderstanding, which is shocking news for the brave fans.
The NCAA officially punished Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl on Wednesday for unethical behavior for improperly entertaining recruits at a 2008 BBQ at his house and then deceiving investigators about who attended the gathering.
On Tuesday, the NCAA formally released the report of its 22-month inquiry, which contains the notice of charges against the Tennessee men’s basketball and football teams. Tennessee announced the release on its website on Wednesday.
Pearl was cited for making inappropriate contact with student-athletes during an unofficial recruiting visit, failing to establish a culture of compliance, and failing to monitor the conduct of his assistant coaches.
The notice did not mention potential penalties.
Tennessee has 90 days to respond to the charges, which include rule infractions against the football program and former coach Lane Kiffin, who now coaches at USC. During its investigation, the NCAA also looked into Tennessee’s baseball program, but no charges were filed.
Pearl is singled out in the NCAA’s report for failing to conduct himself with high standards of honesty and sportsmanship, initially providing false and misleading information to Tennessee and the NCAA enforcement staff, and attempting to influence others to provide Tennessee and the NCAA “with false and misleading information concerning their involvement.”
The notice of accusations revealed one new charge: Pearl and associate head coach Tony Jones were charged for a secondary infraction of “bumping” 2012 prospect Jordan Adams (Lawrenceville, Ga.) on September 14, 2010, during Adams’ junior year, when the two visited him at Oak Hill Academy.
According to the allegation, Pearl and Jones spoke with Adams for two to three minutes before the start of basketball practice. The infraction with Adams occurred shortly after Pearl and Tennessee had a news conference to announce the self-imposed punishment. Pearl was allowed to recruit on the road for more than two weeks before being shut down for a year on September 24.
Jones, Jason Shay, and Steve Forbes, three assistant coaches, were cited for failing to provide comprehensive and pertinent information during the investigation. They were not cited for unethical behavior, whereas Pearl was.
The NCAA cited Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl for failing to observe ethical standards. Don McPeak, US Presswire
According to the report, Pearl also called Aaron’s father, John Craft, who was present at the unauthorized visit to Pearl’s home on September 20, 2008, and informed him that the family’s attendance at the barbecue was a violation. Unofficial visits should take place on campus, not at a coach’s house.
Pearl offered John Craft the option of attending the cookout. According to the report, John Craft was led to believe that Pearl was attempting to influence his comments to the NCAA enforcement personnel.
According to the notice of allegations, Forbes did not provide complete information about who attended the cookout during an interview on June 14. Shay also provided incomplete information and violated another bylaw by telling Pearl the contents of his enforcement interview, despite being specifically instructed not to do so.
Jones was also cited for failing to provide complete information about the barbecue.
“The receipt of today’s notice brings us one step closer to a final resolution in this matter,” Pearl said in a statement released Wednesday. “Throughout this process, we have recognized that we made significant mistakes, and we are eager to resolve this matter with the NCAA.
Pearl has already been reprimanded by the SEC, with commissioner Mike Slive suspending him for the first eight conference games of the season. Pearl had already been fined $1.5 million over five years by Tennessee and barred from recruiting off campus for a year, beginning Sept. 24.
The Committee on Infractions may impose additional punishment against Pearl when it issues its conclusions following the June hearing.
Shay, Jones, and Forbes were all hit with recruitment penalties, with Shay barred from recruiting on the road for three months, Jones for six months, and Forbes for a year.
Pearl’s contract was canceled, and he is currently working under a letter of appointment due to the admitted infractions. However, a source close to Pearl said the two sides are working on a new agreement that could be finalized soon, though there is no guarantee it will be completed before the June hearing. A source close to Pearl also stated that he is not concerned about losing his job because no fresh information has come to light since he was reprimanded.
Under NCAA guidelines, Tennessee and Pearl have the option of seeking a summary determination of their case. However, that alternative would necessitate agreement on all allegations and assumes the committee does not wish to hear from Pearl during a hearing. At least one attorney on the case believes this is unlikely.
“Receipt of the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations… is another step in bringing this matter to a conclusion,” Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton said in a statement.
“Our institution has operated in complete cooperation with the NCAA since April 2009 as they have pursued their investigation,” Hamilton said in a statement. “We take these allegations seriously, and most of the topics mentioned in this document have already been widely published. I’d want to thank the NCAA’s enforcement personnel for their professionalism and counsel throughout this process.
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