In announcing earlier today that Janzen Jackson had been abruptly dismissed from Tennessee, head coach Derek Dooley said in a statement that the “program has devoted a tremendous amount of energy, resources, support, and care in an effort to help Janzen manage his personal challenges.”
Apparently, one of those challenges was the ability to produce clean urine.
Both the Knoxville News Sentinel‘s Austin Ward and ESPN.com‘s Chris Low are reporting that Jackson’s dismissal was the result of multiple failed drug tests. Citing unnamed sources, the latter reports Jackson has battled substance abuse issues during his two-and-a-half years in Knoxville, which could explain his extended absence earlier this offseason as he dealt with what UT described as unspecified personal reasons.
Neither report mentions the drug or drugs that triggered the positive results.
Because of federal privacy laws, Ward notes, UT officials are not permitted to publicly confirm the reported reason behind Jackson’s departure.