North Carolina is still waiting to hear from the NCAA about which players it can use against Louisiana State and which ones it can't.
"We're all in the holding mode as far as that is concerned," Davis said on the weekly ACC teleconference.
Davis said he has adjusted the depth chart but has not provided details. UNC has not released a depth chart and earlier today announced that players will not be available to the media until after Saturday's game.
CHAPEL HILL – (UPDATED) The NCAA’s investigation into North Carolina’s football program – which began with a probe into possible improper contact between players and agents – has expanded into academics, UNC chancellor Holden Thorp said tonight.
Flanked by Tar Heels football coach Butch Davis and athletic director Dick Baddour, Thorp said that during a joint investigation with the NCAA, the school learned of possible academic misconduct that involves a former undergraduate tutor and student-athletes on the football team.
The University of North Carolina will hold a news conference at 7:30 p.m. today at the Kenan Football Center to update the media on the NCAA's investigation of the school's football program, athletic department spokesman Steve Kirschner said.
Chancellor Holden Thorp, athletic director Dick Baddour and coach Butch Davis will speak at the news conference. Kirschner declined further comment.
Davis' regularly scheduled pre-practice briefing with the media was suddenly canceled. The early portion of practice, which was scheduled to be open to the media, was closed.
ABC and ESPN television analyst Kirk Herbstreit said today that as an NCAA investigation continues, it’s becoming a burden for North Carolina and other schools that have been under scrutiny.
Herbstreit will work North Carolina’s season opener against LSU on Sept. 4 in Atlanta. He said one of his difficulties preparing for the game is figuring out who is going to play and which players, if any, will have to sit out.
A comparison of the N.C. State (Tom O'Brien, left) and UNC (Butch Davis) football coaches as they prepare, and we wait, for their fourth season to begin on Sept. 4:
| Davis |
O'Brien |
||
| Overall | 20-18 | 16-21 | |
At Thursday's scheduled media day, which featured an unscheduled statement from athletic director Dick Baddour on the status of the NCAA investigation, UNC coach Butch Davis offered his most extensive comments on Marvin Austin and Greg Little since the NCAA interviewed the senior stars about improper contact with an agent on July 12 and July 13.
"They've taken a great approach, from a mental standpoint," Davis said. "There are things that are clearly out of their control. The only thing that they can do is to be prepared, to practice as if none of this was going on."
UNC coach Butch Davis raised the possibility that redshirt freshman Bryn Renner could start in the opener vs. LSU or that both incumbent T.J. Yates and Renner could play in a quarterback rotation.
Davis said Yates and Renner have both run the first-team offense in practice.
North Carolina football coach Butch Davis talked briefly about associate head coach John Blake but deflected questions about the NCAA's investigation into the Tar Heels football program at UNC's media day today.
Davis declined to talk about Blake's possible role in the investigation or Blake's relationship with agent Gary Wichard, who told The N&O that Blake is involved in the NCAA probe.
"I'm not talking about any of the things that have anything to do with [the NCAA] review," Davis said.
Update: Sunday, 1:29 p.m.
A North Carolina football recruit said a Tar Heels assistant coach told him that the NCAA investigation would not affect UNC's future bowl status or have an impact on future recruits.
Tim Scott, a cornerback from Stafford, Va., said he was told by assistant coach Charlie Williams that UNC's bowl status would not be affected by the NCAA investigation.
