Former Tennessee football assistants under Jeremy Pruitt get show-cause penalties

Four former Tennessee football staff members under Jeremy Pruitt have received show-cause penalties in the NCAA case into recruiting violations that's spanned more than two years.

The NCAA announced the penalties but did not release the names of the staff members. SI.com reported that it was former UT inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer, outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton, director of player personnel Drew Hughes and student assistant Michael Magness.

The NCAA announced they were given show-cause penalties between three to five years. That means they are not allowed to coach or recruit in college for a period of time unless their future employer can successfully argue otherwise to the NCAA.

Pruitt, assistant Derrick Ansley, staff members Bethany Gunn and Chantryce Boone and the University of Tennessee have not settled their portions of the case with the NCAA, which includes allegations of 18 Level 1 violations.

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"The school and other individuals involved in the case have contested either the alleged violations, the application of certain penalties, or both, and that portion of the case will be considered by the Committee on Infractions during a hearing, after which the committee will release its full decision," the NCAA said in a news release.

What UT said about the new development in case

UT said it's seeking leniency because it cooperated fully with the NCAA.

"The university continues to pursue a resolution of its case that recognizes and demonstrates for other NCAA member institutions that the actions taken by the university during the investigation, including our swift corrective actions and exemplary cooperation, should be the standard for institutional inquiries into potential violations," UT said in a statement Tuesday.

From the beginning, the university took steps to assist the investigation.

UT self-reported infractions, conducted an internal investigation with high-powered lawyers, has spent about $1.5 million in legal fees over the course of the investigation, dug up new violations that NCAA investigators had not discovered and fired Pruitt for cause, along with additional coaches and recruiting staff members alleged to have committed violations.

“These actions by (UT) led to the fully-formed record that would not be possible without the significant actions taken by the institution,” the NCAA said in its notice of allegations to UT.

Here is what's next in NCAA case

Different parties in the case have been separated in a new bifurcated approach to enforcement by the NCAA. Former assistants can begin serving their penalties while Pruitt, UT and others contest their portions.

A show-cause penalty shouldn't be an immediate issue for Pruitt's former staff members because they're not working in college football. Felton and Niedermeyer coach in high schools at Valdosta (Georgia) and IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida), respectively. Hughes is an NFL player personnel coordinator for the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Pruitt, the other staff members and UT will make their case in a hearing.

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UT disputes its responsibility for the violations. That was evident in its 108-page response to NCAA allegations, which it submitted in November.

In eight of the violations, UT argued that the “weight and accountability for these charges should rest overwhelmingly with the involved individuals and not the institution.”

Additionally, UT argued that it was not guilty of the 18th violation − the most serious against the institution, failure to monitor the football program.

Instead, UT said Pruitt, his wife, Casey, and his staff knowingly concealed their malfeasance despite the university's best efforts to follow NCAA rules in monitoring the football program.

Reach Adam Sparks at adam.sparks@knoxnews.com and on Twitter @AdamSparks.

This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: Former Tennessee football assistants under Jeremy Pruitt get show-cause penalties from NCAA.