SEC suspends Vols receiver Jauan Jennings for first half of bowl game due to 'actions against an opposing player'

December 4, 2019 at 7:18 p.m. | Updated December 4, 2019 at 8:31 p.m.

by Gene Henley

Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings tries to shake Vanderbilt defenders during the second half of last Saturday's game in Knoxville. The SEC has ruled Jennings, a fifth-year senior, must sit out the first half of the Vols' upcoming bowl game for committing a flagrant personal foul against Vanderbilt that was not called at the time. The league office determined the foul and announced the suspension after reviewing video of the game. / AP photo by Scott Keller
Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings tries to shake Vanderbilt defenders during the second half of last Saturday's game in Knoxville. The SEC has ruled Jennings, a fifth-year senior, must sit out the first half of the Vols' upcoming bowl game for committing a flagrant personal foul against Vanderbilt that was not called at the time. The league office determined the foul and announced the suspension after reviewing video of the game. / AP photo by Scott Keller

KNOXVILLE - The Southeastern Conference has suspended Tennessee receiver Jauan Jennings for the first half of the Volunteers' bowl game for "actions against an opposing player" during the team's 28-10 win over Vanderbilt last Saturday.

The league office announced the suspension of the fifth-year senior Wednesday. The Vols, who won their past five games to finish the regular season 7-5, are bowl eligible for the first time since 2016. They are set to learn their postseason destination Sunday.

In the release announcing the suspension, SEC commissioner Greg Sankey's statement read: "With 3:06 remaining in the fourth quarter of the game, Jennings was involved in an altercation with an opposing player in which he committed a flagrant personal foul as determined by a video review by the conference office."

Jennings made a tackle of Justice Shelton-Mosley on a punt return late in the game along the Tennessee sideline. No flags were thrown on the play, but video appeared to show the 6-foot-3, 208-pounder first lingering on top of Shelton-Mosley (5-10, 196) before stomping on the Vanderbilt player.

According to the release, the suspension is consistent with NCAA Football Playing Rule 9-6-2, which states "if subsequent review of a game by a conference reveals plays involving flagrant personal fouls that game officials did not call, the conference may impose sanctions prior to the next scheduled game."

Jennings - one of the Vols' emotional leaders during the team's turnaround this season - has 57 catches for 942 yards and eight touchdowns this year, when he has also rushed for 46 yards and a touchdown.

Jennings was kicked off the team in November 2017 after criticizing the coaching staff at the time but eventually reinstated under current coach Jeremy Pruitt, who took over that December, playing every game last season and this one.

"Commissioner Sankey shared his perspective on the actions in question, we had a long conversation about the matter, and we will honor the suspension," Tennessee athletic director Phillip Fulmer said in a released statement. "Jauan has been nothing but outstanding for our team and program this entire season."

Contact Gene Henley at ghenley@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @genehenley3 or at Facebook.com/VolsUpdate.

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