Tennessee Football must vacate 2019-20 wins for Pruitt violations

The history books will not recognize the Tennessee football program’s bounce-back efforts over the last few years. Due to penalties handed down by the NCAA for multiple violations under head coach Jeremy Pruitt, the Volunteers are being forced to vacate wins when Pruitt was at the helm.

A school spokesman confirmed on Sunday the Vols’ eight wins in 2019 and three in 2020 will be vacated and will be reflected in the program’s record book.

Pruitt’s final record is now 5-19, and the school’s all-time record is 856-410-53.

The vacated wins are part of the penalties from the NCAA from a report that outlined more than 200 violations during Pruitt’s three-year tenure in Knoxville.

Tennessee was fined $8 million and four staffers, including Pruitt, were given show-cause orders for infractions detailed in the more than 80-page report. Pruitt was fired in early 2021 and was given a six-year show-cause order.

The report said Tennessee committed 18 Level I violations, the most severe, and said most involved recruiting infractions and direct payments to athletes and their families – benefits that totaled approximately $60,000.

The NCAA has recently begun avoiding penalties that negatively affect current players, like bans on playoff participation, and instead directing sanctions at the institution itself.