Maryland football: Mike Locksley eyeing controversial former SEC head coach with $100 million lawsuit vs. NCAA

Maryland football head coach Mike Locksley is considering adding Jeremy Pruitt, former Alabama defensive coordinator and ex-Tennessee head coach, to his defensive staff. No official agreement has been reached, and Pruitt's potential role remains unspecified. Pruitt, 51, is known for an impressive coaching résumé but has faced NCAA sanctions due to recruiting violations during his tenure at Tennessee, from 2018 to 2021. These violations led to a six-year show-cause penalty, effectively barring him from college coaching during that period.

Pruitt was dismissed from Tennessee in January 2021 following an internal probe into the violations, which included improper cash payments and benefits to recruits and their families. He has contested these allegations, claiming they predated his time at Tennessee. In 2023, Pruitt filed a $100 million lawsuit against the NCAA, arguing that the penalties have damaged his career. An Alabama judge granted him a temporary injunction in December, allowing him to pursue