One of the biggest questions surrounding Tennessee following the firing of Jeremy Pruitt was about the impending NCAA sanctions that could come over the next few years. Likely nobody from the Tennessee side will admit it hurt, but it couldn’t have helped in the midst of a quick coaching search for new athletics director Danny White.
Pruitt was fired for cause following the 2020 season after a fairly quiet investigation took place into his recruiting efforts. Disturbing, stunning and shocking was how Tennessee chancellor Donde Plowman described the findings, forcing (or perhaps opening the door for) the University to take quick action.