Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl says that the three players suspended indefinitely for weapons and drug charges could return this season, and that their fates could be known this week.
“All three of them [Cameron Tatum, Brian Williams and Melvin Goins] do have a chance to come back and join the basketball team this year,” Pearl told “Courtside With Seth Davis” on CBS College Sports.
“I think perhaps by the end of this week we’ll have enough information to know when exactly they will return.
Pearl said senior swing Tyler Smith was dismissed because his actions justified it.
“When it became clear more of the circumstances of what Tyler was responsible for, that resulted in his dismissal,” he said.
He added: “Tyler has accepted responsibility for knowledge of the weapons in the car and the other three had no knowledge; it at least allowed me to act in Tyler’s case.”
The coach, whose team knocked off previously unbeaten and then-No. 1 Kansas on Sunday, said Smith will head to play overseas before finishing up his graduation requirements at Tennessee.
“Tyler is going to go overseas,” Pearl said. “Tyler is going to play professionally. Tyler will come back to the university at some point and finish the 24 hours that he needs for his degree. Tyler made a mistake. He’s accountable for it. He understands why he can no longer play basketball this season at the University of Tennessee.
“That doesn’t make him a bad guy. And that doesn’t mean he’s not welcome to come back and finish up his degree here.”
**For more on this story, read what blue-chip UT recruit Tobias Harris had to say.
(Photo courtesy UT Athletics)
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