UNC football gets 1-year postseason ban

Mar 12, 2012 - 8:11 PM Indianapolis, IN (Sports Network) - The North Carolina football program has been given a one-year postseason ban by the NCAA, among other penalties, for multiple violations, including academic fraud, impermissible agent benefits, ineligible participation and a failure to monitor.

The penalties, including some self-imposed by the university, were announced Monday by the Division I Committee on Infractions.

Besides a postseason ban for the 2012 season, the NCAA sanctioned the football program with three years of probation beginning Monday and a reduction of 15 football scholarships over three years.

North Carolina's self-imposed penalties included vacating all wins from the 2008 and '09 seasons (16 total) and a $50,000 fine.

They also included disassociation from two people: a former academic support center tutor who provided impermissible benefits to players, including paying for an airline ticket and parking violations; and a former student-athlete who served as an agent runner.

"This case should serve as a cautionary tale to all institutions to vigilantly monitor the activities of those student-athletes who possess the potential to be top professional prospects," the committee said in its report.

"It should also serve to warn student-athletes that if they choose to accept benefits from agents or their associates, they risk losing their eligibility for collegiate competition."

Among the findings by the NCAA, seven football players were said to have received benefits worth more than $27,000 in lodging, meals, transportation, athletic training, club admissions, jewelry and other items from agents or individuals associated with agents. One player received more than $13,500 in cash and gifts.

In the course of three seasons, the NCAA said, six players competed while ineligible as a result of violations.

North Carolina fired Butch Davis as head football coach last July in the wake of the scandal. Associate head coach John Blake resigned after it was revealed his relationship with a pro agent was a significant source of the impropriety.

The NCAA said North Carolina "took decisive action after discovering the academic fraud violations and when the former assistant coach's violations came to light." It said UNC fully cooperated during the investigation.