REPORT: Tennessee Under Investigation Yet Again by the NCAA

The Tennessee Volunteers could be facing more penalties as the NCAA has opened a new investigation, this time regarding Name, Image, and Likeness.

The Tennessee Volunteer football program is not a year removed from their latest penalties from the NCAA due to infractions on the recruiting trail, having received penalties from over 200 violations. 

Now, according to reports from SI.com's Pat Forde, the Volunteers could be facing more penalties as the NCAA has opened a new investigation, this time regarding Name, Image, and Likeness. 

In the reporting done by Forde, it's revealed that the NCAA declined a request for comment on the situation and the violations being alleged are still extremely vague apart from the link to NIL. Tennessee's most noteworthy NIL deal to date happens to be with their current starting quarterback Nico Iamaleava, a former five-star quarterback who allegedly signed a deal that could pay him up to $8m over his time period at Tennessee. 

Tennessee head coach Josh Heupel turns to quarterback Nico Iamaleava (8) after their post game interview after winning the Citrus Bowl NCAA College football game on Monday, January 1, 2024 in Orlando, Fla. against Iowa / IMAGN

This is now the third investigation into NIL recruiting the NCAA has opened since the start of the year, first Florida State, then Florida, and now Tennessee according to these reports. 

"The NCAA also declined comment in a statement to SI. “With rare exceptions, the NCAA does not comment on current, pending or potential investigations due to confidentiality rules put in place by member schools,” associate director of communications Meghan Durham Wright said. A source familiar with the inquiry tells SI that Tennessee does not believe it has committed any violations in the NIL realm. The source cited NCAA guidance in that evolving area as “vague and contradictory.” - Pat Forde on the investigation into Tennessee. 

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