The news broke this morning, via NY Times, that the University of Tennesse football team is again under NCAA investigation.  This time based on information that a few pretty female students may have done something inappropriate in... ahem... visiting recruits at their high schools.

The hostesses are considered representatives of the university, which would mean they could not recruit players off campus. Therefore, the visits may be considered violations of N.C.A.A. recruiting rules.

Two of Lattimore’s teammates, Brandon Willis and Corey Miller, have orally committed to Tennessee. Lattimore described the hostesses as “real pretty, real nice and just real cool.” He said he thought they had “a lot” of influence in Miller’s and Willis’s commitments to Tennessee.

The group in question is an official university organization created to be ambassadors for all types of potential incoming freshmen, not only athletes.  I knew some back in my days on the Hill.  Good people, that lot, for the most part.  But then again, I didn't exactly run a 4.3 40.

We've seen them, however, speculatively linked to athletic special treament in the past.  Sure it's the kind of rogue rumor only ding dongs would believe without any hard evidence, but sometimes what starts as barely speculation, can often claw it's way into an investigation... and that's what we're seeing here.

Has Kiffin finally waded into waters he's not prepared to tread?  Or is this one more thing that "every school does" and his cocky renegade mouth has brought more negativity upon the Big Orange?  What we know now is that this type of thing is becoming a little too commonplace... or at least a little more than it was under Fulmer.  With a schedule void of cupcakes in the coming years (Oregon, Nebraska, Oklahoma)  Kiffin will surely need to bolster his depth across the board, and maybe this is one of those things coaches must do to maintain a competitive edge.  And Kiffin is proving he's not to be trifled with on that front.

Helicopters, smoke machines, pretty blonde girls with "Grubby" signage.  That's exactly how I remember my UT experience.

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