Tennessee’s football program will vacate 11 total wins from the 2019 and ’20 seasons as part of punishment levied by the NCAA on Friday for recruiting violations during former coach Jeremy Pruitt’s time with the team.
From the investigation, the NCAA found that the program committed approximately 200 infractions during Pruitt’s tenure before he was fired in January 2021. Pruitt was found to have paid recruits and their families, and other staff members were found to have violated NCAA rules as well.
Some observers wondered if Tennessee would receive a postseason ban, but instead the Vols will simply vacate those 11 wins during seasons in which the team posted a 8–5 record in ’19 and a 3–7 record in ’20.
Here are some of the best reactions from social media in regard to the news of Tennessee’s punishment.
Tennessee must vacate every win from 2019-2020.
— David Schiele WTSP (@Deacon_Schiele) July 15, 2023
But that Georgia State game still stands!🔵⚪️ pic.twitter.com/ogWBgEJkru
It's incredibly humiliating to have to vacate 11 wins over a 2-year span, if you really think about it. https://t.co/ZrybZcRGLO
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) July 15, 2023
Too bad @Vol_Football can’t vacate losses. #BYU | #GoCougs 🤙 https://t.co/jOMuMOUrAK pic.twitter.com/nonmjBJMZd
— ⛳️ Jalenooperdogg 🏌️♂️ (@JalenooperDogg) July 16, 2023
Allowing Tennessee to hide the fact that they only won 11 games over two seasons feels like a reward. https://t.co/2KIoDgTyTt
— NFL Fashion Advice (@fashion_nfl) July 15, 2023
There is literally no point to having wins vacated. It is stupid, means nothing, and if anything just makes record keeping more confusing https://t.co/ixLhk4z3Ia
— Bart Winkler (@WinksThinks) July 16, 2023
Most Tennessee fans I've interacted with have been trying desperately to pretend 2019 and 2020 never happened, so this is like the opposite of a punishment https://t.co/iGzWfmMf0n
— Derek Paulson (@d_ford_p) July 16, 2023
Vacating wins isn’t a punishment. https://t.co/PV68izZoZ4 pic.twitter.com/JGMXI9IC3s
— Adam Eargle (@adameargle) July 16, 2023
No Bowl ban but ohhhnooooo plz don’t make Tennessee vacate wins from an 8-5 and 3-7 seasons for 200+ recruiting violations
— Lance (@LanceInOhio) July 16, 2023
