The Volunteers thought they had it figured out when they hired Jeremy Pruitt as their head coach. Instead, it turned into a complete disaster with a 5-19 record over three years after his minimal wins were vacated for using ineligible players (it only would have been 16-19 with his vacated wins).
Pruitt was (literally and figuratively) run out of Knoxville, and the Vols are still working to forgive (and forget) his sins from the past.
Yet, just five years after he was axed at Tennessee, he returned to the world of college football as the NCAA approved Pruitt to become an analyst for Jacksonville State.
Pruitt's "show-cause" penalty seemingly doesn't matter
When the NCAA sanctioned Pruitt for his actions at Tennessee, they issued him a show-cause penalty, similar to the ones issued to former and current Michigan head coaches Jim Harbaugh and Sherrone Moore.
However, when the NCAA cleared Pruitt to be hired by a college program again, it said that his show-cause order does "not apply to any other institution that should wish to employ Mr. Pruitt during the remainder of the show-cause period."
The NCAA informed Jacksonville State this week it was clear to hire Jeremy Pruitt as an analyst.
— Mike Rodak (@mikerodak) October 31, 2025
"The proposal, collaborative discussion at the hearing and outcome demonstrate the show-cause process working as intended," the NCAA wrote.https://t.co/XMzNzDXQqF
The show-cause order was issued in 2023 and would extend for six years, lasting until 2029, but apparently doesn't affect his hirability at Jacksonville State.
Instead, the NCAA determined that the show-cause penalty was, in fact, "working as intended," and it actually "applauded" Jacksonville State for the collaboration the program put into getting Pruitt hired.
While seeing Pruitt's name in the headlines might give Volunteer fans a case of the heebie jeebies, the Jacksonville State Gamecocks are hoping he can turn their team into a powerhouse program, despite still being the No. 1 team in Conference USA.
Pruitt's suspension from collegiate football will end in 2026, just in time for him to join the program ahead of the next football season. In addition to all eyes being on Pruitt's actions, Jacksonville State will have to submit an annual report, ensuring Pruitt's adherence to collegiate rules.
How did Pruitt end up getting tied to the Gamecocks? Well, none other than his son, Jayse Pruitt, played football for Jacksonville State just under a decade ago.