Brown investigation a huge distraction for rebuilding Vols

Several members of Tennessee's highly touted freshman class will see the field when the Vols host Western Kentucky on Sept. 5. However, the crown jewel of the

Stewart Mandel | Aug 20, 2009

Brown investigation a huge distraction for rebuilding Vols /

Several members of Tennessee's highly touted freshman class will see the field when the Vols host Western Kentucky on Sept. 5. However, the crown jewel of the class, national No. 1 recruit Bryce Brown, may not be one of them.

Vols coach Lane Kiffin revealed this week the running back's eligibility is in question following an NCAA investigation into the player's relationship with hometown trainer/handler Brian Butler. The NCAA's concerns revolve around money raised by Butler's Wichita, Kan., organization to send Brown and others to summer camps while in high school. Tennessee AD Mike Hamilton told the Knoxville News Sentinel on Wednesday the school is appealing the NCAA's initial ruling, which could result in Brown having to repay extra benefits and serve a suspension for one or more games.

"It's a gigantic distraction," said Kiffin.

Should Brown be unavailable to start the year, the good news for Tennessee is running back may be its deepest position. In fact, even before Tuesday's revelation, Brown was hardly blowing away his competition. Besides veteran Montario Hardesty, speedy sophomore Tauren Poole has been UT's top rusher in both of its scrimmages to date, while freshman David Oku has broken several big plays.

That's not to say the Vols wouldn't miss Brown. The 6-foot, 215-pounder drew raves for his performance in last Saturday's scrimmage, in which he rushed 10 times for 57 yards and caught three passes for 27 yards; however, a minor hip injury suffered Monday put him on the sideline the next day.

"[I] told him [after the last scrimmage] that he was really going on the right track and he was really going to be special," said Kiffin. "I know [the investigation] bothers him. It's pretty unfortunate."

MORE COVERAGEMANDEL: Inside Tennessee's rebuilding effortsSEC PREVIEW: SI breaks down the conference raceGALLERY: Vols' Berry among top 10 players in SEC

Published Aug 20, 2009

STEWART MANDEL

Senior Writer, Sports Illustrated Stewart Mandel first caught the college football bug as a sophomore at Northwestern University in 1995. "The thrill of that '95 Rose Bowl season energized the entire campus, and I quickly became aware of how the national media covered that story," he says. "I knew right then that I wanted to be one of those people, covering those types of stories." Mandel joined SI.com (formerly CNNSI.com) in 1999. A senior writer for the website, his coverage areas include the national college football beat and college basketball. He also contributes features to Sports Illustrated. "College football is my favorite sport to cover," says Mandel. "The stakes are so high week in and week out, and the level of emotion it elicits from both the fans and the participants is unrivaled." Mandel's most popular features on SI.com include his College Football Mailbag and College Football Overtime. He has covered 14 BCS national championship games and eight Final Fours. Mandel's first book, Bowls, Polls and Tattered Souls: Tackling the Chaos and Controversy That Reign Over College Football, was published in 2007. In 2008 he took first place (enterprise category) and second place (game story) in the Football Writers Association of America's annual writing contest. He also placed first in the 2005 contest (columns). Mandel says covering George Mason's run to the Final Four was the most enjoyable story of his SI tenure. "It was thrilling to be courtside for the historic Elite Eight upset of UConn," Mandel says. "Being inside the locker room and around the team during that time allowed me to get to know the coaches and players behind that captivating story." Before SI.com Mandel worked at ESPN the Magazine, ABC Sports Online and The Cincinnati Enquirer. He graduated from Northwestern University in 1998 with a B.S. in journalism. A Cincinnati native, Mandel and his wife, Emily, live in Santa Clara, Calif.