Was losing Michael Palardy (K) to Tennessee a big loss for us now?

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I find it funny that people are bitching about the kickoff's now after the uproar about wasting scholarships on kickers and punters.

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I wasn't one of those guys.

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KNOXVILLE — Tennessee athletic director Mike Hamilton said Saturday he does not believe UT’s football program committed a secondary violation after a report surfaced into the actions of a recruiting intern.

First-year UT coach Lane Kiffin didn’t seem so sure.

Hamilton said UT has provided the SEC with its internal review of intern Steve Rubio’s trip to Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Rubio was accompanying Kiffin recently while he was recruiting at football powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas High School.

The story implicating Rubio, who played football and spent a year there as a volunteer assistant coach after graduating in 2003, was reported by The New York Times late Friday on its Web site. It’s the second time this week the newspaper uncovered possible recruiting violations by the Vols.

By NCAA rules, only UT’s nine assistant coaches and Kiffin are allowed to visit prospects off campus.

Hamilton said he does not believe Rubio met with prospects. If he did, the violation would likely be ruled a secondary violation by the NCAA.

“In college athletics from time to time, institutions will have secondary violations,” Hamilton said. “The rule book is thick in its intricacies.”

Under Kiffin, UT self reported six secondary violations earlier this year. UT is also under a highly publicized review by the NCAA for alleged misuse of its recruiting hostesses.

The Vols are recruiting several prospects from St. Thomas Aquinas, including defensive back Cody Riggs and kicker Michael Palardy, who committed to UT in September.

After practice on Saturday, Kiffin declined to rule out contact between Rubio and prospects during the trip.

“You never want to say never but I’ll pretty much say that he did not (have contact with prospects),” said Kiffin, who added that Rubio visited with friends at the high school.

Rubio joined UT this summer. He had been director of player personnel at the University of Central Florida. Rubio spent three years as an equipment manager for the Golden Knights and was moved to graduate assistant for recruiting and operations in 2007.

Kiffin said he doesn’t believe it would have been possible for Rubio, who acts as a personal assistant and often guides him on the road in South Florida since he is familiar with the area, to meet with prospects since the team was practicing during their visit.

Kiffin said Rubio hasn’t visited with coaches or school employees at other recruiting stops.

“He doesn’t do that at any other schools that we go to when he goes with me,” Kiffin said.

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