Jeremy Pruitt Seeks Justice in Explosive $100 Million NCAA Lawsuit
In a legal firestorm that could shake the foundations of college football governance, former University of Tennessee head coach Jeremy Pruitt has filed a lawsuit against the NCAA and several unnamed individuals, claiming he was intentionally made a scapegoat in a conspiracy to shield the school from deeper scrutiny and financial liability.
The lawsuit, filed in DeKalb County, Alabama, demands over $100 million in damages and accuses both the NCAA and the University of Tennessee of orchestrating a plan to pin the blame solely on Pruitt while insulating the university from harsher consequences. Pruitt contends that the NCAA’s actions – along with Tennessee’s cooperation – not only destroyed his career but inflicted emotional, financial, and reputational damage that continues to follow him.
Fallout from a Tumultuous Tenure
Pruitt was terminated “for cause” in January 2021 after Tennessee’s internal investigation uncovered numerous NCAA rule violations during his tenure. The termination meant he forfeited a $12.6 million buyout. Later, the NCAA levied a six-year “show-cause” penalty on Pruitt in July 2023 – a severe punishment which essentially froze him out of college coaching unless a school could justify hiring him under heavy restrictions. The penalty also included a one-year suspension from game-day coaching and off-campus recruiting should he return to the college ranks.
Since then, Pruitt hasn’t been offered a college coaching role. Though rumors emerged that at least one Southeastern Conference (SEC) program had considered him, internal resistance from university leadership and possible input from SEC authorities allegedly blocked the move.
He’s now back in his hometown, coaching high school football at Plainview High in Alabama alongside his father, Dale Pruitt.
A Lawsuit Years in the Making
This isn’t the first time Pruitt has threatened legal action over his firing. In 2021, his then-attorney Michael Lyons warned that a lawsuit could devastate the University of Tennessee’s athletic program if a settlement wasn’t reached. That legal threat never materialized into formal proceedings – until now.
Pruitt’s new legal team has taken the matter directly to court, arguing that the entire process, from Tennessee’s investigation to the NCAA’s sanctions, was rigged against him from the start.
According to the complaint, Pruitt alleges he was made to shoulder all the blame for violations that were not only systemic but also predated his time in Knoxville. The lawsuit contends that Pruitt had informed then-athletic director Phillip Fulmer about improper player payments occurring before his arrival in December 2017. Fulmer, a Tennessee legend turned administrator, allegedly told Pruitt he would “handle it” through the university’s compliance office.
Instead, Pruitt claims, the school protected its own legacy and finances by cooperating with the NCAA in a way that sacrificed him while painting Tennessee as a reformed program deserving leniency.
NIL Changed the Rules—Too Late for Pruitt?
One of the central themes of the lawsuit is the timing of NCAA punishment relative to changes in college sports regulations. Pruitt’s attorneys argue that he was penalized for actions that, due to the advent of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) legislation, would no longer be illegal.
In fact, shortly after Tennessee appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in April 2023, the state of Tennessee and its attorney general filed a lawsuit against the NCAA. That suit aimed to halt the NCAA’s enforcement of its NIL rules, particularly around inducements used in recruiting.
The case was sparked by concerns surrounding Tennessee’s recruitment of quarterback Nico Iamaleava and his reported $8 million NIL deal. Sources told ESPN that the NCAA was preparing to rule Iamaleava ineligible and sever Tennessee’s ties with Spyre Sports Group, the collective behind the agreement. However, the legal challenge succeeded in forcing the NCAA to walk back its restrictions on NIL recruiting earlier this year.
Pruitt’s attorneys now argue that he may be the last major college coach punished for providing benefits to players—benefits that, in the modern NCAA environment, are now permitted.
A “Farcical Hearing” and Internal Sabotage?
The lawsuit claims Pruitt’s investigation and eventual punishment were predetermined by both Tennessee and the NCAA. His legal team accuses the school of limiting the scope of the investigation deliberately to avoid revisiting older issues that could expose broader institutional misconduct. Instead, they say, investigators focused only on violations committed under Pruitt’s leadership.
More damning are the alleged comments made by University of Tennessee Chancellor Donde Plowman. According to Pruitt’s suit, Plowman privately told him, “Jeremy, we know you haven’t done anything wrong,” while serving him with termination papers. If true, this statement directly contradicts the university’s public stance and could support Pruitt’s assertion that he was a scapegoat.
The complaint describes the NCAA’s enforcement proceedings as a “tribunal” created to ensure three goals: blame Pruitt, clear Tennessee’s name, and give the school legal justification to avoid paying his contractual buyout.
The suit lists multiple claims including negligence, wantonness, interference with business relationships, conspiracy, and bad faith by both the NCAA and a group of eight “fictitious defendants” yet to be identified.
Source: Ex-Vols coach Pruitt sues NCAA, seeking $100 million
The Aftermath for Tennessee
Despite the scandal, Tennessee avoided the worst-case scenario of a postseason ban. The NCAA placed the school’s football program on five years of probation and deducted 28 scholarships. Tennessee was also fined nearly $9 million, a figure calculated as the estimated financial hit the school would’ve taken had it missed the 2023 and 2024 bowl seasons.
The violations under Pruitt’s tenure were extensive. The NCAA cited 18 Level I violations—the most severe category—along with more than 200 individual infractions. These involved illegal recruiting practices and impermissible benefits to athletes and their families. In total, $60,000 in improper payments were documented, including cash payments made directly by Pruitt and his wife, Casey.
As a result, Tennessee was forced to vacate all wins from Pruitt’s three seasons if any of the 16 ineligible players participated in those games.
Fulmer and Barnes Respond
While the lawsuit names multiple past and present Tennessee figures as involved in alleged wrongdoing or cover-up efforts, former AD Phillip Fulmer and current basketball coach Rick Barnes are particularly singled out.
In response, Fulmer has remained firm in his public stance. Speaking with ESPN, he insisted he had warned Pruitt during the hiring process that success at Tennessee didn’t require cheating. “Jeremy has no one to blame but himself,” Fulmer said. “He had a great opportunity at a great university, and he simply screwed it up.”
Barnes, on the other hand, expressed frustration over being pulled into a controversy that had nothing to do with his program. Past correspondence from Pruitt’s legal team implied that violations in other sports could come to light if the case moved forward. Barnes bristled at the suggestion that his team could be dragged into the fray due to guilt by association.
What’s Next?
With the lawsuit now officially filed, the NCAA and the University of Tennessee are expected to mount a vigorous defense. The university has already responded through a spokesperson, stating: “The university is confident in the actions taken in the Pruitt case. We will continue to prioritize our student-athletes and winning with integrity.”
The case could take months or even years to resolve. If it proceeds to trial, it could result in the unsealing of documents and testimonies that shed new light on how major athletic programs and the NCAA handle internal investigations and infractions.
For Pruitt, the outcome may define whether he ever has a chance to return to major college football—or if his name will be forever associated with one of the NCAA’s last great coaching scandals in a pre-NIL world.
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