Tar Heel Sports

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - North Carolina defensive tackle Marvin Austin has apologized for his "poor decisions'' that led to his dismissal from the team amid an ongoing NCAA investigation.

In a statement, Austin said Monday he regretted "my actions and the embarrassment I brought to the university and to the football program.'' That followed the school's announcement that Austin wouldn't play again for the Tar Heels for breaking rules on NCAA agent benefits, preferential treatment and ethical conduct.

Austin says he will pay "a severe price'' by missing his senior season and said he was sorry for letting down his teammates, coaches and fans.

Christopher Lyons, Austin's Miami-based attorney, released the statement and says it was "a very difficult day'' for his client.

InsideCarolina Has Yates A Little Bit Ahead OF Renner

I think it is good news that it seems to be an open battle. Our offense is not going to be great this year, but i think we need to play the guy who won't turn it over a lot.Which one that is, I don't know, but the people of NC pay Davis a lot of money to make that decision.

I vote Renner though.

Brandon Willis To Leave UNC

Inside Carolina is reporting that Brandon Willis has informed Butch Davis that he will withdraw from school and transfer. He was the no. 8 DT out of high school and we stole him last minute from that bastard Lane Kiffin. He says family issues played a huge part. I hope he gets everything better with his family and the best of luck.

UNC Basketball Picks Up An Invited Walk On From NC

Since his days at Kansas, Roy Williams has always incorporated in-state walk-ons into his program. On Tuesday, the coach may have scored his best one yet when he convinced Class of 2011 power forward Jackson Simmons to walk on for the Heels and bypass a litany of mid-major offers.
The Tar Heels accepted a verbal commitment from Simmons, a 6-foot-7 rising senior out of Sylva (N.C.) Smoky Mountain. “It came out of left field,” Simmons said. “It’s truly an honor. I don’t really know what to say.” Roy Williams has been known to pick in-state kids with talent and give them a chance to earn their way and be a part of the state program. He did it often at Kansas but Simmons may be the most talented player to which he’s ever offered this opportunity. “I’m going to get to go to Carolina and play basketball at Carolina," Simmons said. "It’s a great deal. Coach Williams talked to me after the first (July evaluation) period. He said that he’s got some scholarship offers out and he gave me the proposition of being on the varsity as an invited walk-on and the scholarship stuff will play its way out.” Simmons took his team to the final four in the state last year and averaged 19.9 points and 12.5 rebounds. He played alongside Tyler Lewis and Adejhi Baru this summer with Team Loaded. “It just felt right," he said. "When I went down there I just felt the team had great continuity and I felt like I was willing to take the hard-working end and work my way up like Wes Miller, C.B. McGrath and Jerod Haase.” Simmons’ mother coached Lady Tar Heel Cetera DeGraffenreid in high school and now she’ll get to travel to Chapel Hill to watch her son. “It’s funny how things work out,” he remarked. Jackson had scholarship offers from Davidson, Charlotte and Old Dominion. He’s a gritty, hard-playing guy with a skilled face up package. Last summer he was evaluated by ACC schools and a host of mid-majors nationally including Butler. In creating this opportunity for Simmons, the Tar Heels lured in an extremely talented player who is taking a chance at walking on and earning his way. Anyone who knows Jackson Simmons shouldn’t be surprised that he accepted the challenge. “(Coach Williams) said I was the kid with the most skill that he's ever offered this to," Simmons said. "I want it and that’s what I really want. I want to prove him right.”

Trace Jones: UNC Football's Jack of All Trades

He does some kicking, he does all the holding, but one thing he does not do is anything that involves theposition he use to play.

He grew up as a QB in Roanoke Rapids but at UNC he has seen the field in every other position besides QB. He has become the ultimate special teamer when he took over kick returning duties for Brandon Tate when he went down with his knee injury 2 years ago.

He is a walk-on, but his relationship with Casey Barth has produced a winning combo for the UNC special team unit. In two years he has not botched a hold which has undoubtably affected our seasons.

Trace Jones, a player no one knows but all coaches want.

Romar Morris Commits To The Tar Heels

The 5-10 RB chose UNC over Georgia Tech, Clemson, South Carolina, and Tennessee.Morris , although on the small side at 171 lbs, brings to the table 4.32 speed and the break out ability that our offense seems to be missing this year. Great Pick Up.

Once we get this NCAA garbage past us and the season starts I think the Tar Heels will advance their program to the level it should have been for the last two years.

UNC Football: Baddour Worried About Program

CHAPEL HILL -- Before North Carolina coach Butch Davis stepped to the podium Thursday for the Tar Heels' football media day, athletic director Dick Baddour took center stage.

For 10 minutes, Baddour addressed the ongoing NCAA investigation into members of the football team, again reiterating that the school will not discuss details of the case per the NCAA's request.

NCAA representatives were on the UNC campus July 12-13 to interview players, though the school has not identified which members of the football team were interviewed. Defensive lineman Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little reportedly have been the focus of the inquiry.

However, The Herald-Sun reported on Thursday that the office of N.C. Secretary of State Elaine Marshall has sent a letter to sports agents who are registered in North Carolina requesting that they save any information regarding contact with Austin, Little, Deunta Williams, Kendric Burney, Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant.

Even though Baddour did not share any new information, it was his first time in a room full of reporters since news broke of the investigation in mid-July.

Baddour said he does not think school officials have hidden from the review, but they are trying to work with the conflicting interests of the public's desire for information while trying to protect the rights of the individuals involved in the review and respecting the NCAA process.

"What you have to understand about an ongoing process is that it's obviously bad, and so as you get into things, you find out things," Baddour said after reading a prepared statement. "You may hear about something that wasn't on the table, so that sends you in a different direction.

"My position is [that] when it's over, we'll be in a position to talk about it and so I don't want to speculate. I don't think that's fair to the people involved, I don't think it's fair to the process, as well. I'm going to do what it is they ask me to do."

Baddour called the past few weeks a trying time for the school but said there is no timetable for when the NCAA investigation may conclude.

"It's territory that the University of North Carolina has not been in," Baddour said. "How we run this program, the integrity of this program is a core value for us. And the world doesn't know it, but we spend an enormous amount of resources and time in doing things the right way. It's a disturbing time for all of us."

Baddour said he decided to make the speech because he is the spokesman for the NCAA review and also to allow Davis to concentrate on what's happening on the football field.

But even though Baddour's statement might have addressed some NCAA issues, Davis still found himself facing questions about assistant coach John Blake.

Blake, along with defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little, reportedly is under investigation by the NCAA because of his connection with longtime NFL agent Gary Wichard.

Davis said Blake was a good teacher and defensive line coach but would not discuss Blake's relationship with Wichard.

"Anything that has anything to do with any kind of investigation or any kind of review, we're not going to talk about it," Davis said. "I can talk all you want to about football."

Davis is not the only member of the UNC program who wants to focus on football. It's clear the lingering NCAA investigation is starting to wear on some of the players.

"It's kind of annoying when new stuff keeps coming out on the news and we don't even know about it," quarterback T.J. Yates said. "We go into the lunchroom and there's another thing up there on ESPN. It's like, 'Geez, come on, let's get it over with,' you know?

"We're all ready to move on."

But for now, all the Tar Heels can do is wait and see.

Read more: The Herald-Sun - Baddour Disturbing time at UNC