UNC coach Davis says NCAA has promised to move quickly in probe

CHRIS SEWARD - cseward@newsobserver.com

DURHAM — North Carolina football coach Butch Davis told a banquet crowd this afternoon that the NCAA has promised it will move quickly in the probe that brought investigators to campus last week.

“The NCAA has assured us that they will make this as quick, and as soon as possible will expediate(sic) [the investigation],” Davis said at the annual Triangle Pigskin Preview at the Washington Duke Inn.

The event marked Davis' first public comments about the investigation. Davis, above right, talking with East Carolina coach Ruffin McNeill, shared the banquet podium with coaches David Cutcliffe of Duke, McNeill, Mose Rison of N.C. Central and Tom O’Brien of N.C. State.

Before today, UNC athletic director Dick Baddour had issued the university’s only public comments on the matter, confirming that investigators visited Chapel Hill. He declined in his comments, however, to identify the sport involved.

In his first remarks at the banquet, Davis didn’t offer many details.

“I know there’s a lot of people sitting here today that would love to have a lot of answers,” Davis said. “As we go through this review, there’s things obviously that the NCAA has asked us not to comment on. One thing I can share with you is that the University of North Carolina is doing absolutely everything from a cooperating standpoint.”

Greg Little Sr., the father of North Carolina wide receiver Greg Little, has confirmed that his son also was interviewed by NCAA investigators. The Charlotte Observer and News & Observer also have confirmed that Tar Heel defensive tackle Marvin Austin was interviewed.

Investigators also have talked to South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, who is from Durham, and Alabama defensive tackle Marcell Dareus. (Saunders father, Barry Saunders, is a metro columnist for The News & Observer.)

“One of the things you can see is that there are a lot of other institutions around the country that are going through this currently,” Davis said. “There probably will be some more in the very near future.”

Davis began his comments on the issue by responding to something McNeill had just said. A first-year coach, McNeill said getting ready for the start of his first season has been a “whirlwind.”

“You think Ruffin would like to trade whirlwinds?” Davis asked, drawing laughter from the crowd.

He then gave his brief comments on the investigation before turning his comments to football. Davis is expected to speak with the media after the banquet, but it’s unclear if he will share any more details about the investigation.