Update: UT athletic director Mike Hamilton resigns

Tennessee athletics director Mike Hamilton announced Tuesday he decided to resign so the Volunteers would have a “clean slate” when they go before the NCAA’s Committee on Infractions later in the week.

Hamilton, who has been at the helm of Tennessee athletics for eight seasons, said it was both a personal decision and one that he hoped would help reunite the Vols fanbase. During a three-year period, Hamilton fired a popular coach, hired a controversial one and now the athletic department faces 12 NCAA infractions against the football and basketball programs.

“The last several years at UT have been marked by turmoil, fractures and the development of camps. This is not healthy, nor is it productive for our university,” Hamilton said. “During the last three months in particular, I myself have become a lightning rod for negative attention, and that’s a major distraction for the many positive things that are going on in athletics and on our campus.”

Hamilton will join UT-Knoxville Chancellor Jimmy Cheek, former Vols and current Southern California football coach Lane Kiffin and former basketball coach Bruce Pearl and other Tennessee representatives to respond to the NCAA’s charges on Saturday in Indianapolis. He will take administrative leave from Tennessee beginning Monday and remain on staff until June 30 unless he finds new employment.