Bruce Pearl Bump Rule Violation Leads Mike Hamilton To Re-Evaluate Contract After NCAA Tournament

A so-termed bump rule violation committed by Tennessee basketball coach Bruce Pearl — which the school found out about from the NCAA itself, not Pearl, and which was committed just four days after Pearl apologized publicly for other violations — has encouraged athletic director Mike Hamilton to change his standing on the matter of his hoops coach.

Before Hamilton had said that even a suspended Pearl could remain at Tennessee, but said to Jimmy Hyams of WNML-AM Knoxville on Wednesday that Pearl’s contract will be evaluated after the postseason. For the Vols that could be any day now, with Duke looming if they’re able to get past Michigan.

A bump violation occurs when a coach comes into accidental, unpermitted contact with a recruit. Pearl’s happened on Sept. 14 at Virginia’s Oak Hill Academy. That he did it wasn’t a big deal. The problem was that he didn’t alert the relevant authority.

Pearl has been coaching with an on-hold contract this season. Hamilton declined to say whether his contract situation would be resolved by the June NCAA hearing, but that the hearing could play a role in the decision.

For more on Pearl and the Vols, visit Rocky Top Talk.