KNOXVILLE -- Von Pearson will be back on the football field today.
The Tennessee wide receiver was reinstated Friday afternoon after a four-month suspension that began in April, when he was named a suspect in a police investigation into an alleged rape.
He was cleared legally on Wednesday when the Knox County District Attorney General's Office announced it would not pursue charges against the senior due to insufficient evidence, but Pearson then had to be cleared by the university, which had him on an interim suspension that barred him from enrolling in classes during the summer.
"We were informed today, so we reinstated him. Due to privacy laws, that's pretty much - respecting all that - all I can say," Vols coach Butch Jones said after Friday's practice.
"Von's had a lot of conversations with us. There's a standard and there's an expectation. Before tomorrow, we'll have many more conversations. That's privileged information between our administration and myself and him."
Pearson will have to go through three more practices after today before he can join the Vols in full pads.
Jones wanted to change the subject after the first four questions of his post-practice meeting centered on Pearson, who caught 38 passes for 393 yards and led the team with five touchdown catches last season.
"We're not here to talk about Von anymore," Jones said. "Von's got a long way to go. We're here to talk about our football team and getting better. He's just a small piece of our football team, and he's going to have to work his way back in football shape, and he's going to have to earn playing time.
"There is no entitlement in our football program. Before he's ready to go on the field, he's going to have to earn it, because we have some players doing some very good things."
The coach then complimented freshman quarterback-turned-receiver Jauan Jennings and sophomore wideout Josh Malone for their performances in practice.
Jones, the son of a police chief, has maintained a policy of suspending players during ongoing police investigations, and he defended how he has handled discipline for players involved in sexual misconduct cases.
"We treat every situation differently," he said. "There's always different circumstances involved. We always act fairly, but each situation is different in and of itself. We'll move forward, but I'm not going to comment much on that.
"I think we've shown that we take those allegations very, very seriously around here."
Tennessee tidbits
> Linebacker Jakob Johnson practiced at tight end on Friday as the Vols try to create more competition at that position beyond Ethan Wolf and Alex Ellis.
Jones said Johnson was "willing to do anything to help the football team" and suggested Tennessee would revisit the possible switch after a few more practices.
"We see the ball skills every day with all the ball drills in practice that our linebackers do, so (we knew) he had a very good skill set in terms of catching the ball," Jones said. "He's a very tough player. You try to help the young man get on the field, but also how can you help your football team, too."
> Jones was unhappy with Friday's practice, and his hoarse voice showed it.
"We were sloppy on offense," he said. "We put the ball on the ground way too many times. I thought we lacked discipline with pre-snap penalties, post-snap penalties, lining up offsides -- that's all a direct correlation to maturity, discipline and mental toughness."
> Freshman defensive tackle Quay Picou has been cleared by the NCAA Eligibility Center and was a participant in Friday's practice, the first of the four-practice acclimation period he must navigate to join the Vols in full pads.
> Preston Williams, the freshman wide receiver who cannot practice after the NCAA Eligibility Center flagged standardized test score last month, is scheduled to re-take the test early next week.
The Vols then may have to wait another one or two weeks to get his score back.
> Guard Jashon Robertson (stomach bug) returned to practice after sitting out on Thursday, and the Vols are holding receiver Jason Croom (knee) out of practice as a precaution.
Contact Patrick Brown at pbrown@timesfreepress.com.