Louisville placed two men's basketball assistant coaches on leave Friday, leaving the program with only acting head coach David Padgett to lead the Cardinals as practice for the 2017-18 season begins.
Associate head coach Kenny Johnson and assistant coach Jordan Fair are on paid administrative leave as the university continues its investigation into NCAA violations involving paying a recruit.
The investigation has led to the suspensions and potential firings of head coach Rick Pitino and athletic director Tom Jurich.
"We are in the process of executing our due diligence as it relates to an ongoing investigation and feel that this [is] an appropriate step at this time," Louisville acting athletic director Vince Tyra said in a statement about the suspensions of Johnson and Fair. "Our university will continue to fully cooperate with federal authorities in their investigation."
Johnson is in his fourth season with Louisville. It's Fair's second season on the staff.
Basketball spokesman Kenny Klein said staffers Michael Bowden, Logan Baumann and R.J. Evans have been placed in temporary coaching roles.
Louisville and Pitino were linked nearly a week ago to an alleged scheme to pay $100,000 to the family of five-star recruit Brian Bowen Jr. in a deal arranged by Adidas executive Jim Gatto.
The Louisville Athletic Association unanimously approved a resolution Monday to begin the process to terminate Pitino with cause, and Louisville interim president Greg Postel said he is planning to learn more about the school's $160 million sponsorship extension with Adidas.
In the FBI's documents related to the corruption scandal, two unnamed Louisville staffers, "Coach-1" and "Coach-2," are directly linked to the scheme to pay Bowen's family. Last week, Padgett assured Louisville fans that his name would not be attached to the FBI's investigation.
Ten people have been arrested in the federal probe of the sport, including four college assistant coaches at different schools.
Although he has started practice without two assistants, Padgett, 32, will rely on his father for guidance in the coming weeks and months. Pete Padgett, a former standout at Nevada and Division I assistant coach, will be a consultant with the program as it moves forward in the post-Pitino era.
ESPN's Myron Medcalf and The Associated Press contributed to this report.