Tennessee Volunteers' Basketball Program Gets More Bad News

The Tennessee Volunteers can’t seem to avoid trouble in their men’s basketball program. After the latest news, Vols’ fans have to wonder if their program is ever going to get over the hump.

It all started with Bruce Pearl, who brought Tennessee to national prominence while in Knoxville. Pearl’s Tennessee team reached the number one ranking in the national polls and made an NCAA Tournament Elite Eight during his tenure. But Pearl violated NCAA rules, then apparently lied to the NCAA about those violations, resulting in a show-cause penalty for the coach, who was fired in 2011.

Tennessee hired Cuonzo Martin to replace Pearl in 2011. But Martin lived in Pearl’s shadow for three seasons in Knoxville. Despite making the Sweet 16 in 2013, fans in Knoxville never embraced Martin and he ultimately left in April of 2014 to take the head coaching job with the California Bears.

The powers that be in Knoxville then hired Donnie Tyndall, who had done great things at Southern Miss and Morehead State. Tyndall inherited a roster that was completely depleted, but he was able to take the Vols to a 16-16 record.

However, after the season, reports surfaced that Tyndall may have committed NCAA violations while at Southern Miss, and the Tennessee athletic department had enough information to fire Tyndall with cause.

Tennessee appeared to have landed an outstanding coach to replace Tyndall when Rick Barnes, formerly of the Texas Longhorns, was hired in Knoxville. Barnes took Texas to the NCAA Tournament in 16 of 17 seasons in Austin.

But on Wednesday, Texas contacted the NCAA regarding allegations of academic misconduct with its men’s basketball program. Those violations may have occurred while Barnes was the head coach.

This is not the news that Tennessee fans wanted to hear. They appeared to be headed in a new direction, but these allegations will hang over the program until they are resolved.

Barnes may be the man to lead Tennessee back to prominence, but these allegations cast a shadow over his early tenure in Knoxville.

Tim Letcher is a Featured Writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @TimLetcher , on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.