Why the Tennessee Volunteers and Josh Heupel shouldn’t worry about this NCAA probe
One way to characterize Tennessee’s reaction to this probe is: Rules? Which regulations?Let’s do some business. It sounds like the opening of a sales pitch.
In this episode of “The Volunteer State,” Adam Sparks and John Adams of the News Sentinel, together with Blake Toppmeyer of the USA TODAY Network, provide the most recent updates on Tennessee v. NCAA following Tuesday’s court hearing related to the state’s case against the NCAA. An overview of this two-part song and dance is as follows:
1. The NCAA is looking into whether the Vols may have broken their scant rules, which forbid using NIL deals as recruitment inducements.
2. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti is suing the NCAA, claiming that its NIL rules violate federal antitrust law, and is requesting in court a temporary order that would freeze the NCAA’s NIL regulations.
At this point, should the Vols be perspiring? Not that we can tell, anyway.
This is the reason why:
1. The NCAA is once again prowling about UT’s grounds. What now? Think of it as a free promotion. NCAA investigations may now constitute a recruiting roadblock, as they formerly did. Consider it a marketing opportunity now: come to Tennessee, where the state government and university authorities have your back, and the NCAA’s feeble regulations don’t matter.
2. Tennessee has two chances to win since, while the NCAA investigation and lawsuit are two different things, they are both impacted by each other. If Skrmetti prevails in obtaining a temporary injunction, Tennessee will benefit. If a judge declines to issue a temporary injunction, Tennessee may still prevail in the main litigation. The NCAA’s inquiry will come to an end if Tennessee prevails in either a lawsuit or an injunction.
3. Judge Clifton Corker has already made indications that he believes Tennessee’s case claim has substance.
4. UT has a highly accomplished lawyer representing them in the NCAA probe.
5. As part of its new, laxer era of rule enforcement, the NCAA has reduced postseason suspensions as sanctions in recent years.
6. The NCAA should prepare for another lawsuit if it attempts to bar Tennessee from the postseason or impose severe eligibility penalties on Vols athletes.