Tennessee has reportedly avoided a postseason bowl games ban as a result of interference from the state Attorney General.
The university got the verdict of the NCAA Committee on Infraction for the violations committed during Jeremy Pruitt's era on Friday. Notably, the Volunteers avoided a postseason bowl games ban, which came as a surprise to many.
The NCAA committee conducted a three-year investigation and found over 200 individual violations made by the Volunteers. The university got a long list of punishments, which include an $8 million fine. Jeremy Pruitt also got a six-year show-cause order.
However, recent reports are suggesting the Volunteers avoided a bowl games ban as a result of intervention from the state's top judicial officer. The state's Attorney General reportedly waded in with a threat to the NCAA Committee on Infraction.
Documents revealed that Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti issued a warning of potential legal consequences to the NCAA. This is if it imposed a postseason bowl games ban on the Volunteers football team in connection with the Jeremy Pruitt recruiting scandal.
In a letter sent to the NCAA prior to the appearance of Jeremy Pruitt and the University of Tennessee before a Committee on Infractions hearing, it was evident that Skrmetti was prepared to engage in a legal battle, if necessary. He wrote:
“Tennessee law prohibits the NCAA from imposing such a sanction, and I will not hesitate to vindicate the rights of UT students to enjoy the full measure of their intercollegiate athletic opportunities … NCAA rules cannot supersede Tennessee law.”
NIL played a huge role in Tennessee avoiding a bowl games ban
The concept of Name, Image, and Likeness has encountered huge criticism in different quarters since its introduction into college sports. However, it's the saving grace for the Volunteers in this scenario. Skrmetti carefully used the concept to make an argument with respect to the state's law.
He informed the NCAA that implementing a postseason ban would be in violation of state law. This he believes would hinder players' capacity to generate income through their name, image, and likeness. Bowl games are one of the most lucrative matchups in college football.
Skrmetti referenced Tennessee Code 49-7-2803, which was amended in April 2022, to support his argument. This amendment included a provision that safeguards student-athletes within the state from facing penalties for violations they did not personally commit.
“An athletic association’s governing actions … must not interfere with an intercollegiate athlete’s ability to earn compensation in accordance with this part and must not otherwise impact an intercollegiate athlete’s eligibility or full participation in intercollegiate athletic events.”
The emergence of new state laws has presented a challenge to the NCAA's authority over universities regarding NIL regulations. However, utilizing these laws as a means to counter the potential imposition of a bowl games ban is an unconventional and distinct strategy from Skrmetti.
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