How Tennessee could avoid major sanctions from NCAA despite litany of rules violations

University of Tennessee leaders said they moved swiftly to do the right thing as soon as they caught wind of serious recruiting violations in the football program under coach Jeremy Pruitt.

Now they’re hoping the NCAA follows their lead.

So far, the signs are positive. In the 51-page document detailing the allegations against Tennessee obtained Friday by Knoxville News, the NCAA goes out of its way to praise the way university leaders have handled the scandal, noting "exemplary cooperation" in the case.

The NCAA report went on to say "the actions taken by the institution during the investigation should be the standard for any institutional inquiries into potential violations."

When Chancellor…