Jauan Jennings enrolled in UT classes, but no update in status with Vols

Former Tennessee wide receiver Jauan Jennings is enrolled in courses at UT for this semester, a university spokesman confirmed Tuesday.

But there's no update in Jennings' status with the football program, a team spokesman said.

Jennings was dismissed from the program Nov. 22.

Jennings enrolling in classes creates an avenue to his possible return to the team. He was not enrolled when classes for this semester began Wednesday. The late registration period started Wednesday and ends Friday.

Tennessee coach Jeremy Pruitt said Wednesday that Jennings had met with athletic director Phillip Fulmer. Pruitt added that he might meet with Jennings sometime in the days that followed to "kind of see where things are at.”

Fulmer said Friday in an interview with WNML that Pruitt and Jennings were "still discussing" the possibility of Jennings being reinstated.

“I think (Pruitt has) put some parameters around it," Fulmer told WNML, "and I guess everybody has got to figure out what those are and if they’re really going to do it. That’s up to them.”

More: Fulmer aims to assist but not interfere with Jeremy Pruitt

Jennings was dismissed from the program the day before Thanksgiving after posting an expletive-laced rant on social media that was directed at UT's coaching staff.

Interim coach Brady Hoke announced the dismissal, saying he reached the decision in conjunction with then-athletic director John Currie.

"Representing the University of Tennessee football program is a privilege," Hoke said in a statement then.

Jennings, in his rant, called UT's coaching staff fakes, snakes and liars.

"The coaching staff is holding us back," Jennings, a Murfreesboro native, said in that diatribe. "Please, Tennessee, send us a great (expletive) coaching staff.

"It ain't nothing to do with no players," Jennings added. "It ain't nothing to do with no (expletive) injuries (expletive). It's straight (expletive) coaching."

More: UT Vols football dismisses wide receiver Jauan Jennings following expletive-laced rant

The Vols' coaching staff has turned over since then. Running backs coach Robert Gillespie was the only member of Butch Jones' coaching staff that Pruitt retained.

Jennings played in just one game as a junior last season. He dislocated his wrist in the season opener against Georgia Tech, an injury that required surgery. He caught three passes for 17 yards in that game.

In 2016, Jennings ranked second on the team with 580 receiving yards on 40 catches. That included his catch of Joshua Dobbs' 43-yard Hail Mary to lift Tennessee to a 34-31 victory over Georgia.

Jennings has 57 receptions in his career. That's more than any receiver the Vols are set to return next season.