DURHAM — Durham Jordan wide receiver T.J. Thorpe announced this afternoon he will sign an official letter of intent with North Carolina and will graduate from high school early to enroll in January for the spring semester.
Thorpe was also considering scholarship offers from N.C. State and UCLA, he said, adding that the NCAA's ongoing investigation of the Tar Heels program did not deter him from committing to UNC.
"I felt comfortable there," Thorpe said at a news conference held at Durham Jordan. "Throughout the whole process, even when the whole investigation started, they still heped me feel comfortable. They still kept me updated and let me know what was going on."
Thorpe's father, Tyrone Thorpe Sr., said he's been monitoring the NCAA investigation closely and has spoken on numerous occasions with UNC coaches, who gave his family as much information as possible about the investigation.
"It's the school, not the program," Thorpe Sr. said of his son's decision. "But he loved the coaches."
Tyrone Thorpe Sr. said his son wanted to stay close to home and decided to graduate from high school a semester early because he wants to play in UNC's spring game.
Edward joined the News & Observer staff in 2004. He is a graduate of American University and Johns Hopkins University. He covers Wake Forest football and women's college basketball for the N&O. Edward is a native of Washington, D.C. He can be reached at 829-4781 or
Comments
The only defense for wuffie
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 01:31 — GoHeels1984The only defense for wuffie fan nation is the supposed "failure" of the UNC program. So sad they have to hope...
And the State College fan
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 01:27 — GoHeels1984And the State College fan obsession that they want UNC to fail continues...... Gotta love it.
They go to the Mickey Mouse bowl with maybe 20K fans there while UNC goes to Music City and a fun town with an already sold out stadium. LOL
Curious.....
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 21:50 — ja1231000Just how many bowls has Russell Wilson played in??
Ummmm. yeah.... ok.
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 01:28 — GoHeels1984Ummmm. yeah.... ok. LOL Think he has been sitting on the toilet bowl watching UNC play in bowl games lately. lol
TJ Thorpe
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 17:52 — Heels20Thorpe not only committed months ago, but he's been recruiting other players since he committed. He hasn't been considering NC State since early this summer...
No Bowls Ever for Thorpe
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 17:31 — stateofmindDo you think he believed UNC when they told him this whole thing would just fade away?
How do you think he will feel when the NCAA rules UNC is not going to any bowl games for years?
The NCAA should go ahead and hand down the punishment to UNC before more kids get sold a bill of goods by UNC. This is very unfair to the student athletes.
No bowls forever huh !?
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 21:06 — gvillegatrKinda like Southern Cal isn't playing in bowl games forever when Reggie Bush's issues/money dwarf the combined total of UNC guys. Sorry to say SC is only sitting out one bowl game. Not to mention UNC has already been punishing throughout the year.
UNC will be looking at missing one bowl game a few schooly's and some probation.
What you wish and want are nothing but wishes and wants. Sry.
Not Wishing for Anything
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 21:52 — stateofmindRead it again. It says no bowls for Thorpe. It does not say "no bowls ever for UNC". There is a difference, sir.
There is no way the NCAA will let this widespread academic cheating and bribing go w/o significant sanctions. To do so would invite massive cheating and bribing throughout college football and basketball. If Carolina can let pro agents bribe its players, other schools will want to do the same.
As you say, "Sry". Just because you wish UNC would get away with cheating, doesn't mean they will.
Thorp doesn't equal UNC ? ...
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 22:18 — gvillegatrThat's news to everyone that knows Thorp and UNC are one in the same. Nice try back tracker.
Wide spread cheating ? Do tell us about it, please. I was unaware wide spread was about five guys AND no one knows for sure exactly what they did.
Bribing you say ? I'll reference back to Reggie Bush who denied, denied, denied and still deny's even though there was a paper trail and witnesses. He took somewhere around 300 grand. Those guys lost one bowl year and some
scholly's over the next few years.
UNC guys took about 15 G's total in cash and jewelry. The rest were guys staying with x players and car rides. Combine the punishment through the season and they'll only lose bowl eligibilty next year and maybe as many scholly's as guys who were inelligible this current season.
UNC set an example (albeit one they wish they never had to) on how to run an investigation into issues dealing with athletics. It will go a long way into their punishments. But also understand, UNC will accept whatever they are dealt.
I'm more concerned about
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 17:45 — TheBigGuyI'm more concerned about what TOB is telling these kids that are making them choose UNC over us than what Butch is telling them. We should not lose anyone to them. NOBODY!
stars
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 14:43 — SurferI don't know... you know TOB, if you are 3 stars or above, he does not want you. He is, after all, trying to prove a point.
Wasn't RW a 3 ????
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 18:21 — unc098Wasn't RW a 3 ????
2-star
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 18:22 — Heels20With his only real offers coming from Dook and State
thats right and Bunting was
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 18:27 — unc098thats right and Bunting was going to offer but passed I believe.
He also didn't let Yates
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 20:42 — chrismg1He also didn't let Yates attend any QB meetings. What a sage judge of talent ol' Bunting was.
Yup
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 18:35 — Heels20out of his loyalty to Mike Paulus.
There's no argument that UNC and UVA (took Peter Lalich instead) blew it on Wilson, but do you guys think VT would've been better off with Wilson instead of Taylor? Just curious...
IMO
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 21:21 — gvillegatrRW would have been even better at VPI. Their offense isn't one dimensional.
I think its a draw. Who
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 18:39 — unc098I think its a draw. Who knows what RW would have done in the hands of Beamer. I think he probably would have been very successful with their style of offense.
BTW. I read that Nate Irving was selected as a second time All American. I am surprised it isn't on the site....Anyway a well deserved honor and congrats to him for having an outstanding year.
nate
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 22:26 — JPDOhioApparently, they were too busy reporting on (1) Kyrie's toe, (2) Duke's tough future hoops schedule and (3) the emotional collateral damage at UNC because of the NCAA investigation.
Coming soon:
(1) Kyrie Irving dips his toe in epsom salts eight times a day. Trainers optimistic this treatment will hasten his return. Moms everywhere agree.
(2) Revised edition of Duke Basketball History concludes that the Blue Devil's strength of non-conference schedule ranked between 1 and 5 every year since the beginning of time.
(3) Dr. Phil visits Chapel Hill to tape a very special episode on how to battle NCAA induced depression.
It truly blows my mind that
Sat, 12/11/2010 - 11:25 — unc098It truly blows my mind that Nate Irving has been ignored by the N&O...There was a teeny weeny sub column in yesterdays N&O about it. I'm not a Pack fan but even I am outraged.This dude deserves some recognition.
Thanks Bud
Sat, 12/11/2010 - 16:07 — YAR8packI had wanted to say something, but I'm usually misconstrued when I try to say anything Wolfpack related.
No problem....did you read
Sat, 12/11/2010 - 16:29 — unc098No problem....did you read my movie comment under "outrage"?
Surprising that Will
Fri, 12/10/2010 - 22:43 — unc098Surprising that Will Snyderwine gets All American pub. and Home dude Irving nary a mention. It was even reported in the N&0 today, which is where I read it.
So.....all you hired guns contributing to this blog need to wake up.
Wow. Unfortunately for
Thu, 12/09/2010 - 17:11 — awdracerWow. Unfortunately for Thorpe and the other recruits that have NOT rescinded their verbal commitment to the Heels, the letter of inquiry from the NCAA probably won't even arrive until AFTER national signing day. Then they'll be stuck living through "the probation years".