Josh Heupel: Tennessee coaches 'touched on' NIL violations, court case with players in team meeting

Over the last five weeks, Tennessee has been at the epicenter of some landmark moments in college athletics. The Vols came under NCAA investigation for alleged NIL violations and a lawsuit in Tennessee led the NCAA to issue new guidance related to its NIL rules.

All the while, Josh Heupel and the football program went about their business. In fact, the off-field events didn’t come up much as Tennessee prepared for spring practice.

Heupel told On3’s J.D. PicKell the staff briefly mentioned the investigation and court case during a team meeting. After that, the focus returned to spring workouts with practice getting underway this week with the spring game set for April 20. Instead, Heupel is relying on university leadership – notably chancellor Donde Plowman and athletic director Danny White – for support as he keeps the Vols locked in.

“Real quick, touched on it in a team meeting, realistically, probably for less than than a minute and moved on,” Heupel said on The Hard Count. “All of our preparation and our focus has been on getting ready for spring ball here. We … will finish up here on Friday, the end of our first quarter of our offseason work. The guys have been fantastic. These guys are focused on what matters.

“And we have great leadership here at the University of Tennessee – Chancellor Plowman, athletic director Danny White – and got great trust in them.”

The university has made its stance clear on the alleged NIL issues. Plowman wrote a blistering letter to NCAA president Charlie Baker shortly after news broke of the inquiry, defending the program. The New York Times reported the recruitment of Nico Iamaleava was part of the investigation as one of the school’s NIL collectives allegedly paid for a private plane to bring him to Knoxville.

Iamaleava, a former five-star recruit, signed a landmark NIL deal upon his arrival in Knoxville that became On3’s most ambitious NIL deal of 2022. The Athletic since reported it’s worth up to $8 million. In Plowman’s letter, she argued NIL could play a role in athletes’ decisions during the recruitment process and the NCAA’s guidance was “an inherently unworkable situation.”

The Tennessee and Virginia attorneys generals then filed a lawsuit challenging the NCAA’s NIL rules, and a judge granted a preliminary injunction in the case. That move opened the door for NIL collectives to communicate with high school players and transfer portal players.

In a memo sent to member schools, obtained by On3, Baker announced the pause on investigations related to NIL infractions. He also said the NCAA’s prohibition of pay-for-play, institutional payments and quid-pro-quo requirements are still in place. January’s adoption of NIL transparency and consumer protection measures will not be impacted and remain on track for Aug. 1.

“In response to this latest order, the Division I Board of Directors directed NCAA enforcement staff to pause and not begin investigations involving third-party participation in NIL-related activities,” Baker wrote. “There will be no penalty for conduct that occurs consistent with the injunction while the injunction is in place. I agree with this decision, while the progress toward long-term solutions is underway and while we await discussions with the attorneys general.

“In circumstances that are less than ideal, this at least gives the membership notice of the board’s direction related to enforcement.”