Jeremy Pruitt Sues NCAA for $100 Million, Claims Tennessee Cheated Before His Tenure
Former Tennessee Volunteers football coach Jeremy Pruitt has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA seeking $100 million in damages. Pruitt, who was fired in January 2021 following an investigation into recruiting violations during his tenure, asserts that the NCAA’s enforcement actions against him and the university are unjust. Pruitt’s legal team argues that the alleged infractions occurred before he became the head coach, and he is seeking compensation for harm to his career and reputation.
The lawsuit, filed in a Tennessee court, makes several bold claims, including that the NCAA wrongly punished Pruitt for violations committed under the previous coaching staff. According to Pruitt, the NCAA’s decision to implicate him was rooted in the actions of former head coach Butch Jones and his staff, who were responsible for the alleged misconduct during their tenure from 2013 to 2017. Pruitt, who served as the defensive coordinator under Jones before taking over as head coach in 2018, asserts that he was unfairly held accountable for violations that occurred prior to his arrival.
At the heart of the lawsuit, Pruitt argues that the NCAA’s investigation was flawed and that he was not given the proper due process during the proceedings. He contends that his name and reputation were tarnished due to actions that were out of his control. Pruitt further claims that the NCAA’s actions were not only unfair but also motivated by a desire to make an example of him. The lawsuit suggests that the governing body of college sports overstepped its authority and imposed a harsh penalty on Pruitt, damaging his future prospects as a coach.
Pruitt’s legal team points out that the violations at Tennessee were centered around improper recruiting practices, including illegal contact with recruits and providing impermissible benefits. However, Pruitt’s suit argues that these violations occurred before his arrival, and he was unaware of them at the time. According to Pruitt, the NCAA’s failure to distinguish between the actions of previous staff members and his own has led to undue consequences for his career.
This lawsuit adds another chapter to the ongoing saga surrounding the Tennessee football program. The university itself was hit with serious sanctions by the NCAA, including a bowl ban and scholarship reductions, as a result of the violations. The NCAA’s enforcement of penalties against Tennessee also led to the firing of Pruitt, who had just completed his third season as the Vols’ head coach.
Pruitt, who had high hopes for revitalizing the struggling Tennessee program, was dismissed after a 3-7 season in 2020. His tenure was marred by controversy, and his firing was widely seen as the result of the NCAA investigation. Now, through this lawsuit, Pruitt is seeking to clear his name and recover from what he believes was an unfair and damaging situation.
The legal battle between Pruitt and the NCAA is still in its early stages, but it has already attracted significant attention within the college football world. If Pruitt’s claims are proven true, the case could have major implications for how the NCAA handles future investigations and enforcements, especially in cases where violations occurred under previous coaching staffs.
As the lawsuit progresses, both Pruitt and the NCAA are likely to face intense scrutiny, and the outcome of this legal fight could reshape the landscape of college football enforcement and coach accountability.
