UT athletics director Danny White is speaking out against the NCAA after the association released a statement regarding its investigation into Tennessee.

The NCAA is investigating alleged name, image and likeness violations at Tennessee. White said the NCAA “didn’t find a single NIL violation,” but the NCAA then “moved the goalpost to fit a predetermined outcome.”

White released the statement on his X, formerly known as Twitter, account.

White goes on in his statement to blame the NCAA for leaking the investigation to the media, thus making it public.

“They are stating that the nebulous, contradictory NIL guidelines (written by the NCAA not the membership) don’t matter and applying the old booster bylaws to collectives. If that’s the case, then 100% of the major programs in college athletics have significant violations,” White wrote.

“This is obviously silly and not productive, as is blaming the membership whenever they are challenged. We need to be spending our time and energy on solutions to better organize college athletics in the NIL era – something that the NCAA leadership failed to do back in 2021. Student-athletes, prospective student-athletes, coaches and administrators across the country deserve better, and I refuse to allow the NCAA to irrationally use Tennessee as an example for their own agenda.”

White’s statement comes in response to a statement released by the NCAA. The NCAA normally does not comment on investigations, bucking a trend with its response to Tennessee.

The full NCAA statement goes on to talk about how schools asked for enforcement to fix the “wild west” atmosphere.

“While the NCAA generally does not comment on specific infractions cases, it is important to remember that NCAA member schools and conferences not only make the rules but routinely call for greater enforcement of those rules and holding violators accountable,” the NCAA statement read. “In recent years, this has been especially true as it relates to establishing and enforcing a consistent set of national rules intended to manage the name, image and likeness environment.

“This legal action would exacerbate what our members themselves have frequently described as a ‘wild west’ atmosphere, further titling competitive imbalance among schools in neighboring states and diminishing protections for student-athletes from potential exploitation. The NCAA remains firmly committed to protecting and expanding student-athletes’ NIL rights and opportunities. However, our membership has steadfastly supported the prohibition on impermissible recruiting contacts, booster involvement in recruiting prospects and the use of NIL offers as recruiting inducements.”

White joins UT Chancellor Donde Plowman in fighting back

White’s statement comes just a day after UT Chancellor Donde Plowman stood by her letter, firing back at the NCAA for its investigation into Tennessee.

Plowman’s letter, obtained by The Daily Beacon through a public records request, stands by that the university has done nothing wrong. The chancellor explained why she decided to send the letter to NCAA President Charlie Baker on Wednesday.

“If someone charges you or your family or your children with something that you didn’t do and you think it’s unfair, you’re going to speak up,” Plowman said.

“There was sort of no question in my mind about what to do. And I made that clear in the letter (to Baker). When you’re leading a university and someone attacks you and makes an allegation that isn’t true — I will always respond. And the most significant thing about that is I will always stand up for our student-athletes.”

Plowman also insisted on Wednesday that she is not worried about the lack of institutional control charge the NCAA may bring forth. Just six months after wrapping up an investigation that included full cooperation from Tennessee with the NCAA, the university is fighting back.

“In fact, just last year, the Division I Committee on Infractions as well as the NCAA enforcement staff cited exemplary cooperation by the University of Tennessee and said we set the standard other schools should follow,” Plowman wrote in her letter to Baker. “It is inconceivable that our institution’s leadership would be cited as an example of exemplary leadership in July 2023, then as a cautionary example of a lack of institutional control only six months later.”

Tennessee has yet to receive a formal notice of allegations as of Thursday afternoon, a source confirmed to The Daily Beacon.