Tennessee assistant Martinez faces recruiting restrictions

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Tennessee defensive backs coach Willie Martinez and the rest of the coaching staff face recruiting restrictions in connection with the violation that caused Martinez to be suspended from the season-opening victory over Bowling Green on Saturday.

A public records request showed Martinez is suspended from off-campus recruiting for the first 30 days of the September 2015 evaluation period and banned from off-campus recruiting activities during the first five days of the November-December contact period.

Tennessee also got a 10-day reduction of spring 2016 evaluation days.

The Knoxville News-Sentinel first reported the information.

According to a report Tennessee's compliance staff sent Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey, Martinez had an impermissible face-to-face encounter with a recruit on May 21, 2014. The report noted that Tennessee had no further communication with the prospect.