By Jimmy Hyams
Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt stopped short of saying suspended wide receiver Jauan Jennings has been reinstated, but all signs point in a positive direction.
“Right now he’s doing everything we’ve asked him to do – being a good teammate,’’ Pruitt said Monday. “We’re giving him an opportunity to do what he needs to do to have success in the future.’’
Pruitt said Jennings is “considered part of the team’’ and is doing “team stuff.’’
Asked if Jennings has been reinstated, Pruitt said: “He has a list of things he’s got to do and he knows what they are. He’s in the process of doing them. It’s kind of hard (to do them) if you’re not a part of the team.’’
Pruitt said Jennings would practice this spring if healthy but will miss spring due to having his knee scoped recently.
Jennings is “day to day’’ and is getting treatment for the knee, Pruitt said.
Jennings, who had 40 catches last year and a game-winner against Georgia, suffered a broken wrist against Georgia Tech in the 2017 season opener and had surgery.
He then basically went AWOL. He didn’t show up for rehab or practice or meetings or most games. He returned to practice with about two weeks left in the season, but then walked out of practice – in essence quitting the team – on a Wednesday before the season finale when he was told he couldn’t play quarterback.
He then went on a profanity-laced tirade on Instagram in which he blasted Tennessee’s coaches, calling them fake, snakes and liars. He dropped the F-bomb multiple times and used the N-word.
Interim coach Brady Hoke, in consultation with then-athletic director John Currie, dismissed Jennings from the team.
A few months ago, Jennings met with athletic director Phillip Fulmer, who said in an interview on SportsTalk WNML in Jan. 12 that Jennings might be able to return if he met certain criteria but the final decision was up to Pruitt.
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