Tennessee parted ways with third-year head coach Jeremy Pruitt on Monday.
Pruitt was fired with cause.
The Knoxville News Sentinel reported Pruitt was fired for cause Monday. His firing stems from alleged NCAA violations under his watch, according to University of Tennessee sources with knowledge of the situation, meaning the university will not pay his buyout.
Tennessee has since hired its new athletics director in Danny White. White has kicked off a search for Pruitt’s replacement as head coach.
Minnesota head coach P.J. Fleck could be an ideal candidate to clean up and rebuild the Tennessee program.
Fleck also has a connection with the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions that could benefit Tennessee when presenting findings of wrongdoings to the jury.
Fleck played for Joe Novak at Northern Illinois. Novak serves on the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions.
Novak discussed Tennessee’s internal investigation with Vols Wire last month.
“Schools are NCAA members, so if they find a violation on campus, they are obligated to turn themselves in,” Novak told Vols Wire. “Since this thing is so public, I am sure the NCAA is aware of it. Technically, Tennessee has an obligation, after they review it, if they find that there are violations, they are obligated to turn themselves in.”
Fleck was a keynote speaker at the 2020 American Football Coaches Association’s annual convention in Nashville.
The event kicked off with Fleck discussing his career and how he has risen from a wide receiver at Northern Illinois attending the AFCA Convention and knowing he wanted to coach.
He has since climbed the coaching ranks, becoming a first-time head coach at Western Michigan (2013-15). There, his ability to build a program with its culture on display was at the forefront and he has since moved on to rebuild Minnesota’s program in the same capacity.
During White’s introductory press conference Friday, he mentioned his ambition in being a builder also.
Fleck’s full speech highlighting his coaching career can be listened to here or below. Novak previously joined the show “Tennessee Two-A-Days” and can be listened to here or below.
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