After their own review of the 39 academic transcripts that were the basis of a recent report by a campus English professor, University of Tennessee officials on Friday said they found no NCAA violations involving football players as it relates to requirements that an athlete make satisfactory progress toward a degree.

NCAA rules require that athletes declare a major by the start of their fifth semester. The professor, Linda Bensel-Meyers, had noted that the academic transcripts of many upperclassmen showed they had not declared a major or been accepted into a college.

Tennessee officials explained that the transcripts do not always reflect a student's major because of a method the school uses for athletes who have not formally enrolled in a degree program. By signing a "Degree Designation Form" that goes to the Registrar's office, athletes who haven't gained acceptance into any college can meet NCAA rules and continue to play.

The NCAA requires only that upperclassmen declare a major, not be accepted into that major.

"The University takes very seriously any charge of impropriety in its academic programs," the university said in a statement. "To date, no evidence of wrongdoing has been discovered by the university or NCAA. The University is continuing to review other charges and will make its findings available only after completing a very thorough and extensive examination."

Bensel-Meyers said she was disappointed by the press release and that university officials are misrepresenting her position in an attempt to discredit her report.

"It's not academic credibility they care about, just NCAA credibility," she said. "And that means they don't care about the athlete."

Bensel-Meyers said she has never been concerned about NCAA violations. Instead, she is bothered that the university would continue to let upperclassmen with poor grades and no enrollment in a college continue at Tennessee as long as they have playing eligibility.

The transcripts show that several seniors, including at least one fifth-year senior, had yet to be accepted into a college.

"Any academic who cares about academics would look at these records and be appalled," she said. She wants the issues addressed by the university faculty and administration, both of which have launched investigations.

In her report, Bensel-Meyers also cited large numbers of grade changes for athletes. ESPN.com, using Bensel-Meyer's raw data, crunched the numbers and found that the nine starters on last year's team who were most at risk of losing their eligibility were 31 times as likely to receive an incomplete as non-athletes at Tennessee.

Earlier this year, the NCAA reviewed unrelated allegations about improper tutoring at Tennessee but discontinued its probe. After Bensel-Meyers released her recent report, an NCAA enforcement representative scheduled a meeting with her to go over her records.

The meeting was postponed this week after former Volunteer center Spencer Riley filed a lawsuit attempting to prevent Bensel-Meyers from turning over her data to the NCAA. Riley was at the center of allegations related to institutional plagiarism in 1995.