Vols coach Heupel: ‘Substantial relief’ to avoid bowl ban

• Pete Thamel, ESPNJul 14, 2023, 04:48 PM ET Tennessee football coach Josh Heupel took the coaching job in Knoxville in January 2021 with the uncertainty of the intensity of NCAA sanctions hanging over the program.Two and a half years later, he called it a”substantial relief “for the punishment to not consist of a bowl ban, saying he was “really delighted” about the result as the NCAA Committee on Infractions launched Tennessee’s penalty Friday.

  “Simply super thrilled,” Heupel told ESPN. “I’m simply truly excited for the kids.”

  Tennessee’s punishment consisted of an $8 million fine for the school, which is thought to be an NCAA record, along with scholarship losses, a reduction in check outs and limitations on recruiting contacts. Former coach Jeremy Pruitt, who ran the program while the violations happened, got a six-year show-cause order and the school is going to need to leave a few of its wins from that time.Editor’s Picks

However for a program coming off of an 11-2 season and Orange Bowl triumph over Clemson, the absence of anything punitive for the present players was viewed by Heupel as a huge triumph.

“You don’t know until today what it’s actually going to be,” Heupel stated. “It’s extremely crucial that our players were protected and the future players were protected also. I’m actually thrilled about the result.”

The absence of a bowl ban continues a trend in the infractions process of not punishing current players who weren’t involved when the approved conduct took place.

“The logical idea is, ‘How are you going to punish innocent people and innocent kids?'” Heupel said. “I’m definitely pleased with the result. For people, it’s the ideal decision.”

A common criticism of the NCAA’s violations process has been that the protracted speed can cause choices that affected players and personnel who often weren’t associated with the violations. Kay Norton, the president emerita at Northern Colorado and primary hearing officer for the panel, mentioned Tennessee’s “excellent cooperation” as a reason why the school was not provided a postseason restriction.

“Today’s decision protects opportunities for existing trainees who were not associated with misbehavior to compete at the greatest level and throughout the postseason,” she said.For Tennessee

, the program can lastly move ahead without obscurity.

“Whether it’s meant or not, the length of the process definitely prevents you on the recruiting side more than anything else,” Heupel stated. “People attempt and use that against you.”

He added that the program can “100 percent” move on now.

“You have the ability to advance and talk with your team, personnel and recruits and say here, ‘This is what it is. This is the impact and how we’re going to have the ability to move forward,'” Heupel said.Tennessee has already self-imposed 18 scholarships, a number that covers the past 2 seasons and the upcoming one. The program has taken comparable procedures with main visits, house games hosting recruits and evaluation days.Heupel stated the school has”already swallowed those penalties at a greater clip “than it will need to in the future. For example, according to Heupel, the extra 10 scholarships that will bring the total penalty to 28 can be taken control of the next five years. That’s basically 2 scholarships per year over that period. “Our recruits have not felt that impact up till that point,”he stated.”There’s certainly an expense to it. As a personnel you have to be extremely effective, deliberate and purposeful and strike your targets. For the kids being recruited, I do not think it will change the way they have an opportunity to experience Rocky Top.”ESPN’s Heather Dinich contributed to this story.