University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football scandal

Kenan Memorial Stadium is the home of North Carolina Tar Heels football.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill football scandal is an incident in which the football program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was investigated and punished for multiple violations of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) rules and regulations, including academic fraud and improper benefits to student-athletes from sports agents. The NCAA investigation found that a tutor had completed coursework for several football players, among other improper services. Additionally, the investigation found that seven football players received thousands of dollars in valuables from sports agents or people associated with agents. The NCAA sanctions led to a postseason ban, reduction of 15 scholarships, and 3 years of probation. It was only the second major infractions case in North Carolina's history, and the first since the men's basketball program was sanctioned in 1960 for recruiting violations.

Additionally, North Carolina football disassociated itself with several players involved in NCAA violations and fired football head coach Butch Davis in the summer before the 2011 season. In 2013, the district attorney of Orange County, North Carolina, the county where the university is located, initiated prosecution against five people involved in the scandal for violations of the state law about sports agents. Among the charged included the tutor found by the NCAA to have provided inappropriate academic assistance to players. The charges were later dropped.

History

Investigations and suspensions

On July 15, 2010, ESPN reported that the NCAA interviewed several North Carolina football players over alleged gifts, extra benefits, and sports agent involvement.[1] Defensive tackle Marvin Austin, among players interviewed by the NCAA, made a post on Twitter on May 29. The post contained a reference to Club LIV, a nightclub in Miami, Florida in which a sports agent's party had taken place two months earlier.[2] Austin was reported to have attended that party with North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little and South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, among other college football players.[2][3]

On August 26, 2010, the NCAA began a separate investigation of North Carolina football that involved possible academic fraud involving a tutor in the university's academic support program. The tutor was later identified as Jennifer Wiley. According to athletic director Dick Baddour, the NCAA began the second investigation based on information shared by a player interviewed in the first investigation into sports agents.[4] Another source familiar with the investigation said that Wiley was accused of "inappropriate help on papers that football players were required to write for classes."[4] However, Baddour said on September 24 that Wiley declined to cooperate with the NCAA.[4]

North Carolina suspended Austin on September 1, before the season began.[5] In total, thirteen players missed North Carolina's September 4 season opener against LSU due to the NCAA investigation.[6] The following day, defensive line coach and associate head coach John Blake was forced to resign; Blake had been under investigation for improper contact with sports agents, including Gary Wichard.[7] On September 13, running back Shaun Draughn was the first of the 13 to be reinstated.[6] On September 22, the NCAA suspended defensive backs Kendric Burney and Deunta Williams for six and four games, respectively, and credited the two for the two games both had already sat out.[8] On October 11, 2010, North Carolina formally dismissed Austin from the team, and the NCAA declared wide receiver Little and defensive end Robert Quinn "permanently ineligible" due to receiving improper benefits.[5]

McAdoo lawsuit against NCAA

Defensive end Michael McAdoo filed a lawsuit against the NCAA on July 1, 2011 seeking reinstatement to the North Carolina football team.[9] This followed the NCAA finding McAdoo guilty of accepting improper benefits and committing academic fraud via coursework completed by Jennifer Wiley. The NCAA reached its verdict based on the UNC Undergraduate Honor Court finding that McAdoo committed academic dishonesty by having Wiley complete a bibliography and works-cited section on a research paper.[9] From this lawsuit, McAdoo was forced to make public the paper; an analysis by Dan Kane of the Raleigh News & Observer found that the Honor Court failed to find multiple instances of plagiarism in McAdoo's paper.[10] On July 13, a North Carolina Superior Court judge in Durham refused to grant an injunction against the NCAA, thus upholding ineligibility for McAdoo.[10]

NCAA findings

In June 2011, the NCAA brought up formal allegations against North Carolina football.[11] On March 12, 2012, the NCAA released its public infractions report for North Carolina.[12] The NCAA found North Carolina guilty of multiple infractions, including academic fraud and failure to monitor the football program.[13] However, the NCAA did not find anything extending to lack of institutional control, explaining that the university "educated its tutors regarding academic improprieties and its coaches regarding outside athletically related income...self-discovered the academic fraud and took decisive action...cooperated fully, is not a repeat violator and...exhibited appropriate control over its athletics program."[12]

Department of African and Afro-American Studies controversy

As the NCAA investigated issues relating to sports agents and academic dishonesty, the university's Department of African and Afro-American Studies (AFAM)[14] came under scrutiny due to the numerous football and basketball student-athletes enrolled in such classes.[15] On September 1, 2011, department chair Julius Nyang'oro resigned from his executive position but remained on faculty.[16]

In 2012, an internal investigation by the university and another inquiry led by former North Carolina governor James G. Martin found evidence of unethical practices by AFAM, such as limited class meetings and unauthorized grade changes.[17][18] The university's internal investigation found that the questionable classes benefited the general student body, not just student-athletes.[18]

Sanctions

Self-imposed

Citing harm to its reputation, North Carolina fired Butch Davis on July 27, 2011.[19] The next day, Dick Baddour announced that he would resign and allow chancellor Holden Thorp to hire a football head coach.[20] Also, defensive coordinator Everett Withers was promoted to interim head coach while the university sought a permanent one.[21]

In September 2011, North Carolina vacated all 16 wins from its 2008 and 2009 seasons.[13]

In November 2013, North Carolina sent a disassociation letter to Austin, Little, and Quinn.[22]

From the NCAA

On March 12, 2012, the NCAA issued formal sanctions against North Carolina football: a postseason ban for 2012, reductions of 15 scholarships, and 3 years of probation.[13] Among the NCAA's findings: John Blake was paid by agent Gary Wichard, to whom Blake referred players.[23] Consequently, Blake got a three-year show-cause penalty with severe restrictions on employment at NCAA member schools.[13]

Criminal charges

On September 30, 2013, a grand jury in Orange County, North Carolina issued sealed indictments on five people for 25 charges of violating the state Uniform Athlete Agents Act.[24] Among the five charged were Jennifer Wiley (now married and known as Jennifer Wiley Thompson),[25] sports agent Terry Watson,[26] and Michael Wayne Johnson Jr., a former quarterback at North Carolina Central University accused of acting as a "go-between" for Terry Watson and Greg Little.[27]

Julius Nyang'oro was indicted by a grand jury in the same county on December 2, 2013.[28]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sources: NCAA probing UNC football". ESPN. July 15, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Giglio, J.P. (July 21, 2010). "UNC's Austin posted more than 2,400 Twitter updates". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ "Report: Trips to Miami under scrutiny". ESPN. July 23, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 Pickeral, Robbi, and Curliss, J. Andrew (September 25, 2010). "Tutor too close to athletes". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  5. 1 2 "Agent scandal costs UNC three players". ESPN. October 11, 2010. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  6. 1 2 Associated Press (September 13, 2010). "Shaun Draughn returns to UNC lineup". ESPN.com. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  7. ↑ Giglio, J.P. (September 5, 2010). "UNC associate head coach Blake resigns". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  8. ↑ "NCAA Issues Suspensions, Repayment Orders for Two". UNC General Alumni Association. September 23, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  9. 1 2 Staples, Andy (July 6, 2011). "McAdoo to put NCAA to test as he seeks injuction to end ineligibility". SI.com. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Kane, Dan (July 17, 2011). "UNC honor court failed to find McAdoo's obvious plagiarism". News & Observer. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  11. ↑ "Timeline of events in the UNC scandal". The News & Observer. Retrieved June 27, 2014.
  12. 1 2 Banowsky, Britton; et al. (March 12, 2012). "University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Public Infractions Report". NCAA.
  13. 1 2 3 4 Beard, Aaron (March 12, 2012). "NCAA hits UNC football with 1-year postseason ban". Associated Press. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  14. ↑ The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill uses the code "AFAM" for African-American Studies courses, see Programs of Study, accessed June 30, 2014.
  15. ↑ Kane, Dan (May 7, 2012). "UNC players made up 39 percent of suspect classes". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  16. ↑ Kane, Dan (September 2, 2011). "UNC professor resigns academic chairman post". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  17. ↑ Kane, Dan (May 4, 2012). "Report finds academic fraud evidence in UNC department". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  18. 1 2 Pickeral, Robbi (December 20, 2012). "UNC probe reveals academic fraud". ESPN. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  19. ↑ "Butch Davis fired by Tar Heels". ESPN. July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  20. ↑ Giglio, J.P. (July 29, 2011). "Baddour to step down as UNC athletics director". News & Observer. Archived from the original on August 30, 2011. Published in print as "Baddour announces decision to step down as UNC-CH AD."
  21. ↑ Pickeral, Robbi (July 29, 2011). "Everett Withers chosen as Tar Heels interim head coach". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  22. ↑ Carter, Andrew (November 19, 2013). "UNC severs ties with Austin, Little, Quinn". Raleigh News & Observer. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  23. ↑ George, Rachel (October 11, 2012). "North Carolina reputation suffers with NCAA violations". USA Today. Retrieved June 28, 2014.
  24. ↑ Pryor, Brooke (December 3, 2013). "Indictments plague UNC in ongoing football scandal". Daily Tar Heel. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  25. ↑ Blythe, Anne (October 3, 2013). "Former UNC tutor connected to football scandal charged with violating NC sports agent laws". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  26. ↑ Heitner, Darren (October 9, 2013). "Football Agent Terry Watson Facing 14 Felony Counts For Violating North Carolina Athlete Agent Law". Forbes.com. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  27. ↑ Blythe, Anne (November 13, 2013). "Former NCCU quarterback charged in UNC football probe". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
  28. ↑ Kane, Dan (December 2, 2013). "Former UNC-CH African studies chairman indicted by grand jury". News & Observer. Retrieved June 30, 2014.
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