Three Strikes and you're Out policy back with Vols...even if you don't inhale

All student athletes at UT will be subject to a three strikes and you're out drug policy as of July 1, UT director of public relations Tiffany Carpenter confirmed on Thursday.Previously, athletes had to fail four drug tests before being dismissed. Three positive drug tests had long been cause for dismissal before UT revamped its policy in 2007 and added a fourth strike for a positive marijuana test."There's a pretty strong record if someone makes it to the third step, they are going to end up being dismissed. Very few are able to go back," UT athletic director Mike Hamilton told the News Sentinel in January, adding that it was time for student athletes, coaches and staff members at UT do a "gut check" in regards to discipline.Carpenter added that UT is also considering some type of gun policy for student athletes, but there are legal issues attached to it.The Vols have faced plenty of negative publicity over the past few months.Football players Janzen Jackson, Nu'Keese Richardson and Mike Edwards were arrested in November and charged with attempted armed robbery.Richardson and Edwards were dismissed. Jackson was allowed to remain on the team when his charges were later dropped.Basketball players Tyler Smith, Cameron Tatum, Brian Williams and Melvin Goins faced misdemeanor charges after guns and drugs were found during a traffic stop.Smith was dismissed. Tatum, Williams and Goins remain on the team.The arrests certainly had an effect, as some prospective athletes told the News Sentinel in January that they were no longer considering attending UT because of concern about discipline, or lack thereof.

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