Vols self-impose two years probation for recruiting violations

The University of Tennessee self-imposed two years of probation on its athletic department after it submitted its response to the NCAA’s Notice of Allegations on May 20, according to documents obtained Friday by the News Sentinel through a public records request.

Outside of a handful of recruiting restrictions placed on the current football staff and a minor restriction placed on the new men’s basketball staff in 2011, the university believed that "the penalties imposed during the course of its investigation, coupled with its corrective measures, adequately address the violations that occurred."

"The University has taken what it believes are meaningful and appropriate steps to address the problems identified in this case," the response reads, "including declaring student-athletes ineligible, implementing enhancements to the compliance program, and self-imposing penalties upon the particular coaching staff members and sports programs that were designed to punish the head coach, deter similar conduct in the future, and offset any advantages that the programs may have gained."