A picture taken of a recruit at Tennessee coach Bruce Pearl’s home during an unofficial visit nearly two years ago will play a key role into how the NCAA’s investigation into the men’s basketball program develops. A source in the UT athletic department, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the NCAA investigation has not been completed, confirmed the latest recruiting violations the NCAA has been looking into. The picture in question includes Ohio State freshman Aaron Craft, who was then a UT commitment. Craft, reached via text message by the News Sentinel on Tuesday, said he and his family have been instructed not to comment and to refer all questions to Ohio State’s compliance department. Other players at Pearl’s home during their unofficial visits during the Florida home football game weekend of Sept. 19-21, 2008, were UT freshman Jordan McRae and Kansas freshman Josh Selby, according to the source. Both McRae and Selby had made non-binding commitments to attend UT prior to the visit. — Knoxville News Sentinel

Former Tennessee coach Phillip Fulmer said it’s not easy to see the once-proud Vols struggling. “It’s terrible,” Fulmer said. “It’s hard to watch something you’ve put most of your adult life into and had just played for the (SEC) championship (in 2007) and all of a sudden you’re watching what’s transpiring now through the program and an obvious attempt to change the culture of Tennessee football that failed.” That change of culture Fulmer was referring to was the one-year reign of Lane Kiffin, who succeeded Fulmer in 2009 and left abruptly last January to take the head coach’s job at Southern California. Fulmer said he supports Kiffin’s replacement, Derek Dooley. — Knoxville News Sentinel

Matt Simms can handle the playbook and the huddle. The Tennessee quarterback has also proven he can operate the offense without turning the ball over. But coach Derek Dooley won’t call Simms simply a game-manager though, because that backhanded compliment undersells his ability to do more than just avoid mistakes. “I don’t know why people view that (being a game-manager) as a negative,” Dooley said Monday. “I think it’s because people say it sometimes when a guy can’t throw it a lick, when he can just hand the ball off real well. That’s not what I mean. “Matt’s got a really strong arm. He makes throws that not a lot of guys can make. His game management is just a lot better than Tyler (Bray’s) right now.” That difference has separated the junior college transfer from the true freshman, with Simms making the contrast even more clear by the end of UT’s third and final scrimmage on Saturday afternoon. — Knoxville News Sentinel

Football ticket sales for the University of Tennessee right now are a mixed bag with the 2010 season’s kickoff less than three weeks away, but research by VolQuest.com shows that’s pretty standard for the Volunteers. While premium-level seating sales are extremely strong for UT’s athletics department, season-ticket renewals are again lagging behind. Through Aug. 9 figures supplied to VolQuest.com by UTAD, Tennessee had sold 66,500 tickets compared to 69,184 at the same point in the previous year. The Vols finished last season with 69,885 season-ticket purchases. — Daily Times

First tip: A Tilley Airflo Hat. That’s what first-year Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley has been wearing at preseason practices this month. His choice of headgear has not gone unnoticed. “You wouldn’t believe how many calls I’ve got about it,” said Roger Frazier, who has been UT’s equipment manager since 1983. Frazier has been around UT football too long to be surprised by fan reaction to a coach’s hat. In fact, he warned Dooley that his chapeau choice would not be ignored. Consensus: The fans like it. Employees at the UT Bookstore will vouch for that. They have received a number of calls inquiring about Dooley’s khaki-colored, nylon hat. They don’t carry it. — Knoxville News Sentinel

As UT’s training camp begins today, Matt Simms has gotten a better grip on things. He finished spring practice slightly ahead of true freshman Tyler Bray and appears in position to secure the starting spot based on offseason work. “I’d have to say my decision-making is the biggest thing I’ve improved on — being quick with my decision but not hurrying,” Simms said. “A lot of times in the spring, I knew where people were going, but I wasn’t really sure so I was kind of sitting back there and like, ‘Oh, there he is.’ I was forcing it in there. Now I see things better.” Even with a better grasp of the Vols’ playbook now, this is a daunting challenge for UT in general and Simms in particular. This is the first time since 2004 that the Vols have entered the season with such inexperience at quarterback. — Tennessean