Eight members of the University of Tennessee football staff refused to take pay cuts the athletic department proposed last month to help stymie financial losses from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Knoxville News-Sentinel reported Friday that running backs coach Jay Graham and receivers coach Tee Martin were the only full-time assistants on Jeremy Pruitt's staff to accept a reduction in pay, with the information acquired via a public records request.
Those who declined pay cuts were offensive coordinator Jim Chaney, quarterbacks coach Chris Weinke, offensive line coach Will Friend, tight ends coach Joe Osovet, defensive coordinator Derrick Ansley, inside linebackers coach Brian Niedermeyer, outside linebackers coach Shelton Felton and strength and conditioning coach A.J. Artis.
The News-Sentinel reported those were the only eight members of the athletic department who were asked to take reductions and declined.
Pruitt was not asked to take a pay cut after declining to accept a pay increase for 2020 as part of the raise and extension he received from athletic director Phillip Fulmer that was announced Sept. 24.
Tennessee started 2-0 this season and climbed as high as No. 14 in The Associated Press poll, but the Volunteers have lost four straight games by double digits, including last Saturday night's 24-13 defeat at Arkansas. The Vols were scheduled to host No. 5 Texas A&M on Saturday, but the game was postponed to Dec. 12 due to COVID-19 concerns within the Aggies roster.
This already has been an expensive season for the Vols, with Pruitt having been fined $100,000 by Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey for the improper wearing of face coverings and for Pruitt's decision to fire defensive line coach Jimmy Brumbaugh just four games into the season. Brumbaugh is receiving roughly $800,000 in severance.
Tennessee previously announced it expects to lose in the neighborhood of $40 million during the 2020-21 fiscal year due to the reduction in revenue with capped capacities at Neyland Stadium and Thompson-Boling Arena.
Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524. Follow him on Twitter @DavidSPaschall.