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Tennessee AD says he trusts Jones 'implicitly'

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Tennessee athletic director Dave Hart on Thursday stood by Butch Jones, saying he trusts the embattled football coach "implicity" amid new allegations in the Title IX lawsuit against the university.

"I trust Butch Jones implicitly," Hart said. "I know who he is, I know what his work ethic is."

Hart held a news conference Thursday at the university, two weeks after a federal lawsuit was filed Feb. 9 in Nashville alleging that Tennessee mishandles assault complaints against athletes.

An amended complaint filed Wednesday stated former Tennessee football player Drae Bowles assisted a woman who said she had been raped by two other players and that later he was attacked by teammates and told by Jones he had "betrayed the team.