Tennessee finds major violations, fires football coach
Tennessee has fired football coach Jeremy Pruitt, two assistants and seven members of the Volunteers’ recruiting and support staff for cause after an internal investigation found what the university chancellor called “serious violations of NCAA rules.”
Chancellor Donde Plowman said Pruitt was responsible for overseeing the program. Tennessee has been conducting an internal investigation since at least the middle of November into allegations of recruiting violations.
“The personnel actions we are announcing today is an indication of the gravity of what we’ve discovered,” Plowman said.
Also fired Monday were assistant football coaches Brian Niedermeyer and Shelton Felton, four members of the on-campus football recruiting staff, the director and assistant director of football player personnel and a football analyst/quality control coach.
The chancellor said the potential NCAA issues involved Level I and II violations with a number of people and incidents. NCAA investigators became more actively involved within the past 10 days.
Pruitt went 3-7 in an SEC-only season with each loss by double digits. Tennessee had been picked to play in the Liberty Bowl but withdrew a day later after a batch of positive COVID-19 results, including Pruitt.
Athletic director Phillip Fulmer will be retiring, and Tennessee is retaining a search firm to help hire a new athletic director. Plowman said that athletic director then will hire the new coach.
Kevin Steele, hired last week as a defensive assistant coach, will act as the acting coach.
OHIO STATE’S FIELDS DECLARES FOR DRAFT>> Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields declared for the 2021 NFL draft on Monday, a move that was expected. Fields is projected to be one of the first two quarterbacks taken on Day 1 of the draft, scheduled for April 29 in Cleveland.
Fields finishes his career with 5,701 yards passing and 67 touchdowns against nine interceptions. He also rushed for 1,133 yards and 19 touchdowns in 34 games with the Buckeyes and Georgia Bulldogs (2018). FORMER USC STAR ARNETT DIES >> Jon Arnett, one of USC’s greatest running backs who went on to become a fivetime Pro Bowl player for the Los Angeles Rams, has died. He was 85. USC
said Monday that Arnett died Saturday of heart failure in Lake Oswego, Oregon.
Arnett ranks in USC’s career top 25 lists for rushing (1,898 yards), punt returns (430 yards) and kickoff returns (430 yards). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2001.
Golf
RAHM WITHDRAWS FROM THE AMERICAN EXPRESS >> Jon Rahm withdrew from this week’s The American Express on Monday, according to GolfChannel.com. The reason for Rahm’s withdrawal was not provided by the PGA Tour, and he was replaced in the field by Brandon Hagy.
The second-ranked Rahm was the pre-tournament favorite, offered at +600 by PointsBet.
Soccer
MEWIS SISTERS SHINE IN USWNT WIN >> The Mewis sisters, led by Samantha’s three goals, did all the scoring as the U.S. women’s national team opened its 2021 campaign with a 4-0 victory against Colombia on Monday in Orlando, Fla. Kristie Mewis got her second goal in a U.S. uniform in the 86th minute.
Brazilian-born U.S. midfielder Catarina Macario, who announced earlier this month she was giving up her senior year at Stanford, made her debut in the 46th minute.
Baseball
PADRES ACQUIRE MUSGROVE FROM PIRATES>> The San Diego Padres continued to acquire front-line starting pitching from the trade market, landing Pittsburgh Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove in a three-team deal that also includes the New York Mets, multiple outlets reported.
The Pirates reportedly will get five players in return, four from the Padres, including top outfield prospect Hudson Head, as well as left-hander Omar Cruz. Right-handers David Bednar and Drake Fellows also are reported to be headed from San Diego to Pittsburgh.
The Pirates also will get catcher/ outfielder Endy Rodriguez from the Mets.
The Mets reportedly will land lefthander Joey Lucchesi, 27, who was a 10-game winner in 2019 and has a career 4.21 ERA in 59 career appearances.
LESTER AGREES TO ONE-YEAR DEAL WITH NATIONALS >> Veteran freeagent left-hander Jon Lester agreed to a one-year deal to join the Washington Nationals with a club option for a second season, ESPN reported.
Lester, who turned 37 earlier this month, will depart the Chicago Cubs after six seasons during which he won a World Series, was named to two All-Star teams and finished in the top 10 of the National League Cy Young Award voting twice.