Oct 26, 2013; Tuscaloosa, AL, USA; Tennessee Volunteers head coach Butch Jones reacts on the sidelines against the Alabama Crimson Tide during the fourth quarter at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports
Butch Jones announced on Monday during his weekly press conference that freshman running back Treyvon Paulk had been dismissed from the team due to a “personal conduct issue.”
According to reports, Paulk assaulted his ex-girlfriend while the two were attending a party late Saturday night. A Knox County Sheriff Office report indicated that Paulk became “very agitated and struck her in the mouth with his fist” during the party.
With the NFL currently experiencing an epidemic of domestic assaults with their players, Butch Jones’s swift and decisive action is a breath of fresh air to a growing issue.
Jones and his staff make an effort to lead by example to their players. “I am a father figure,” said Jones. “Unfortunately, some incidents are out of my control and some incidents you try to control.”
Paulk, a one-time three-star running back out of Alpharetta, GA, was on track to redshirt this season while he recovered from a knee injury he suffered four games into his senior season of high school. He had not seen any action so far, and his departure likely won’t impact the Vols this season.