NCAA Football

And The Key To UNC Football’s Latest Troubles Is…A Nanny

You know North Carolina’s football program is running into some NCAA compliance issues thanks to possibly-rule-breaking funding for a trip to California and possible improper benefits from agents. UNC’s now looking into the matter itself, and found some possible academic violations as well – and they’re originating from an unexpected source.

That source: a tutor writing papers for players. “Big deal,” you might say. “Academic fraud investigations are commonplace in the NCAA.” Perhaps, but how often do those investigations include the the onetime nanny for coach Butch Davis’ family? Needless to say, even if it’s coincidental that the nanny is the tutor in question, this doesn’t look good.

ESPN’s Joe Schad, who wrote the original report on the academics probe and was also cited in the linked SportsByBrooks writeup, called the issues surrounding the program “critical in nature.” Considering the players involved, it’s easy to see why: Schad reported Marvin Austin, Bruce Carter, and Robert Quinn as being named in the probe, and all are on Rivals’ preseason list of the top 100 players nationally.

Austin, Carter, and Quinn are relegated to the scout team for the time being. We can’t imagine that will last for too long since they’re so critical to the team’s success (and Schad also tweeted he doesn’t think any suspensions are forthcoming), but this is one more distraction the team certainly does not need.

After rebuilding Miami both on and off the field and bringing North Carolina to the brink of serious ACC contention, Davis probably wouldn’t have predicted his reputation would be jeopardized by someone he had look after his house. But that’s where we are, and maybe more than “pimps,” what college coaches ought to be really wary of is this. Who knew?

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