KnoxNews - Chancellor Plowman - "deliberate efforts to conceal from our compliance office"

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“Based on what we know and the counsel we’ve gotten, it is clear that Coach Pruitt did not adequately promote an atmosphere of compliance or monitor it,” Plowman said in an exclusive interview Monday with Knox News.

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“None of us wanted this for our program,” said Plowman, who became chancellor in July 2019. “The scope of the actions should indicate to you that the number of violations is significant, and the number of people involved (is significant) – and deliberate efforts to conceal these activities from our compliance office.”

Niedermeyer worked three seasons as an assistant under Pruitt, and Felton joined the staff before this season.

The investigation is specific to Tennessee’s football program, and the alleged violations are related to recruiting.

“There were very deliberate efforts to conceal, falsify what was happening out of that recruiting office,” Plowman said. “We don’t have these problems in any other sport.”

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BSK lawyers updated Plowman and Fulmer on their findings on Friday, and Plowman said she was “taken aback by the scope of” the investigation and that the findings “indicated a significant number of serious NCAA rule violations.”

Tennessee has not announced self-imposed penalties, a probable next step.

“At every step, we’ve tried to do this the right way,” Plowman said. “While we’re disappointed in what we found, we’re not going to hide it from anyone. Eventually this will all come out when this investigation is over. You’ll see all the specific issues.”

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