This is going to be a very interesting situation going forward. On one hand you have Doc Sadler and the new regime at Southern Miss playing defense virtually from the first moment they got the job there as news broke about the NCAA probe into Tyndall. Sources in Hattiesburg tell me that Sadler is highly miffed with the situation he inherited there as the level of this NCAA turbulence was not properly presented to him by school officials on the front end of his hiring. You do have to feel for that guy. In fact, his players refused to practice yesterday after hearing about the self-imposed ban. This can't be any fun for him. Here's where it's going to get interesting....

Sources tell me that Southern Miss may have done this pre-emptive strike because they're concerned with some rather loose compliance that perhaps occurred during Tyndall's time in Hattiesburg. Apparently there are two players (currently on the Eagles roster) recruited to Southern Miss that were allowed to enter school even though they were living with their high school coaches. This is a crux of concern that may have in fact triggered this action by the Southern Miss administration. Sources tell me that Donnie Tyndall had the full and complete blessing of the Southern Miss compliance department before bringing these players to campus. For the sake of this report, I'm choosing to leave the names of the players out of this report.


Here's what I was told verbatim by a source with working knowledge of this situation.

'The 2 partial qualifiers at the center of this investigation had been living with their high school coaches and Tyndall's Southern Miss staff had checked with Southern Miss compliance if the high school coaches were allowed to pay on the front end for their 1st year while they sat out. This was signed off on by compliance folks there.'


And


'If this is true, Tony which I believe to be the case, this would be a clear case of a failure to monitor charge more than likely for Southern Miss. This likely won't follow Donnie Tyndall to Tennessee. Southern Miss is simply getting out in front of this.'

So, yesterday is a very interesting development in this case. Perhaps Southern Miss isn't as pious and clean in all of this as we've been led to believe.


I wasn't told this but reading between the lines the implication has to be that the $$$ was funneled to those high school coaches to pay tuition for these guys. Here's my question. Does the NCAA really want start looking at how these guys come up with the $$$'s when they're partial qualifiers?


One could surmise that yesterday was almost good news for Tyndall. Then again, that Notice of Allegations from the NCAA is surely forthcoming. In fact, many at Tennessee believed they would have seen something by now. To reiterate from past blog entries, I expect that letter to be ugly and replete with a bunch of charges leveled at Donnie Tyndall. So, be fully prepared for what's forthcoming. This isn't going to be pretty by any stretch.


In closing, yesterday represents the breaking of the ice with regards to this situation. It's a first step. What the developments of yesterday show me through my reporting is that Southern Miss obviously feels like they shoulder some blame for any alleged improprieties during the Tyndall era. As my source above claimed, 'failure to monitor' is seemingly institutional issue more than one with Tyndall. Then again this is the NCAA we're dealing with here so who knows?


I do believe that Donnie Tyndall is in great standing at Tennessee with those that matter. Dave Hart has been given the full blessing of the power players associated with University of Tennessee athletics to back and fight for his coach.

Vols shot it really well in the first half last night.
Love the 3's in transition.
Love the 3's coming at the end of hustle plays.
Love seeing MVP Josh Richardson play with that passion.
Vols started 10-18 from the field w/ 4 three balls made. Can't beat that.
Vols are so tough that even the to's in the first half didn't rattle them.
They did have 3 unforced errors in the 1st half.
Vols survived 7 turnovers in a 6 minute span in first half.
Vols constantly diving on the floor. Just constant.
SC didn't allow UT to get into their offense. They really extended that man defense. Really well done by Frank Martin and his team. I don't know why more man to man teams don't extend on our guards and force them to make constant decisions. Great scout by SC.
Tennessee just never quits working on defense. Forcing that walk on Thornwell before the half is proof positive.
Armani Moore makes it Vols 31-26 at half. 9 Turnovers averted.
Was 7-0 when leading at the half.
Richardson committed a silly 3rd foul one minute into the 2nd half.
Armani Moore looks like a completely different player. He's looked like Dane Bradshaw the past two nights. Came as a PG and starred at F.
Hubber with the 3 ball after a wonderful pass from Moore. Vols up 36-26!
Josh Richardson on a man 7 point run makes it a 46-31 w/ 14:50 to go.
Carmichael saw his first action with 14:20 to go.
Carmichael traveled twice.
Carmichael with jump hook from 8 and gave up an immediate basket.
Derek Reece with a 3 ball and it's 51-35 with 10:40 left in game.
Richardson out with 4 fouls and 10:40.
Mostella with a 3 .................54-37 9 min left.
Armani MOORE with a crossover to make it 56-41 8:20.
Tennessee with a shot clock violation 7:00 min up 56-43.
Hubbs with 3 Wow....62-47 Vols 4:10 to play
Carolina with two 3 balls made it a 62-55 game with 2:29 to play.
Hubbs with huge follow made it 64-55 with 1:50 left
Thornwell fouled attempting a 3. He clearly walked first.
Makes all 3 foul shots
Richardson walks 64-58 55 Secs
Carrerra to the line hits 64-60 44 Secs left
Armani Moore on line 44 Secs Missed both
Carrerra throws a ball up that somehow went in 64-62 32 Secs
Richardson 1-2 from line 65-62
SC Timeout
SC Makie has 3 go in and out
Reece to line with 13.8 Secs Misses first
Reece then gets his arm bandaged in between shots
Makes second Vols win 66-62

'My prediction: 2015 won’t be quite as awesome for Curt Maggitt and Derek Barnett in terms of sacks and TFLs.

The good news is that if the individual numbers go down, the overall team numbers for both stats should increase. Think about it, who does UT have inbound in terms of defensive linemen?

Arkansas is red hot at the moment finally winning a couple of conference games and stomping the Texas Stronghorns in their bowl game. And here I was bemoaning that once again, Tennessee is handed the hot, trendy team on our schedule from the SEC West. This time though, the strength we have coming in at the defensive line position plays perfectly against Arkansas’ brand of football. Show of hands; Does anybody think Brandon Allen can beat us with his arm if his team can’t run the ball on us?

I’m quietly wondering where the ceiling is going to be for the 2015 team. By the end of the Arkansas game, I think we will know for sure.


How appropriate that the switch to Nike is happening at the same time that UT turns the corner in football and Mike Slive retires?

Good stuff all the way around, bro.

Eric S
UT ‘95'

Tony:

I don't know if I necessarily agree with your assessment of the Lady Vols. I see a couple of things that happened last night:

1. We were down by three when on four consecutive occasions we missed shots right under the basket and ND scored. All of the sudden we were down by 11 and couldn't recover. We never can seem to get consistent scoring from all players at the same game.

2. We seem to be unable to shut down big time scorers. Don't know why.

3. So while disappointed that we lost, I can understand how it happened.

Go Vols

Jim, Martin, TN