Former University of North Carolina football coach Butch Davis said in a statement late Thursday night that he believes UNC chancellor Holden Thorp didn't promptly communicate to Davis any concerns Thorp had about the recruitment of Davis' son, Drew.
"I’m disappointed Chancellor Thorp has chosen to mention our son publicly as a part of his explanation for the decision to terminate my job," Davis said. "The first time I was made aware the chancellor had any concerns whatsoever about the recruiting of my son was the Friday before I was fired — and he did not communicate those concerns to me personally. Once I was made aware that he had become uneasy about the situation, I immediately called him to discuss it. I left a message on his voice mail that was not returned."
Thorp, who fired Davis on July 27, said Thursday afternoon that Davis offered a scholarship to East Chapel Hill High quarterback Drew Davis without first consulting Thorp or athletic director Dick Baddour.
As he has repeatedly, Thorp said Thursday there were many factors that led to Davis' firing as the football program was charged with nine major NCAA violations in June. With respect to the Drew Davis scholarship offer, Thorp said he would have preferred for Butch Davis to consult with Baddour or Thorp first so they could be on the same page with all the controversy surrounding the program
In Davis' statement, he said Drew Davis had already decided to come to UNC as a walk-on in order to give someone else a scholarship opportunity.
"My wife and I had also decided that in addition to the financial gifts we already make to the university annually, we would also contribute a scholarship through UNC’s Family Scholarship Fund so a member of an employee’s family could attend the university," Davis said.
"It's clear Chancellor Thorp knew for some time that Drew was being recruited by our football program. But he expressed no concerns to me whatsoever. I can assure you that if he'd given me any indication during those months that he was the least bit concerned, I would gladly have taken the time to sit down and discuss the issue with him."
"I’m disappointed Chancellor Thorp has chosen to mention our son publicly as a part of his explanation for the decision to terminate my job," Davis said. "The first time I was made aware the chancellor had any concerns whatsoever about the recruiting of my son was the Friday before I was fired — and he did not communicate those concerns to me personally. Once I was made aware that he had become uneasy about the situation, I immediately called him to discuss it. I left a message on his voice mail that was not returned."
Thorp, who fired Davis on July 27, said Thursday afternoon that Davis offered a scholarship to East Chapel Hill High quarterback Drew Davis without first consulting Thorp or athletic director Dick Baddour.
As he has repeatedly, Thorp said Thursday there were many factors that led to Davis' firing as the football program was charged with nine major NCAA violations in June. With respect to the Drew Davis scholarship offer, Thorp said he would have preferred for Butch Davis to consult with Baddour or Thorp first so they could be on the same page with all the controversy surrounding the program
In Davis' statement, he said Drew Davis had already decided to come to UNC as a walk-on in order to give someone else a scholarship opportunity.
"My wife and I had also decided that in addition to the financial gifts we already make to the university annually, we would also contribute a scholarship through UNC’s Family Scholarship Fund so a member of an employee’s family could attend the university," Davis said.
"It's clear Chancellor Thorp knew for some time that Drew was being recruited by our football program. But he expressed no concerns to me whatsoever. I can assure you that if he'd given me any indication during those months that he was the least bit concerned, I would gladly have taken the time to sit down and discuss the issue with him."
Ken Tysiac
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11 comments:
Unbelievable. Not only has Thorp attempted to deflect attention away from the fact that HE WAS THE DEAN OF THE COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES AND THEREFORE IN CHARGE OF THE TUTORING PROGRAM THAT HIRED JENNIFER WILEY, now he has likely committed an NCAA violation because school officials are not permitted in any fashion to discuss recruits who have not signed a Letter Of Intent.
So while the NCAA's "Notice of Allegations" does not once implicate Butch Davis, it may now be amended to implicate Chancellor Thorp.
Unbelievable that anyone with a shred of decency or character would continue to defend Davis.
1) unc's honor court is a joke (and apparently they have security issues too)
2) This doesn't begin nor end with davis
3) Thorpe's violation is minor compared with what is coming in October
4) unc should be VERY concerned with what is coming out of Washington, not ncaa headquarters. And when I say Washington I mean supposed non-profit organizations.
The stink just gets worse and worse and its not all coming from Davis. Maybe Thorp should tender his resignation also. Good luck with that one.
Weak move by Thorp.
This whole situation has really stained UNC. How can the AD and head of the college not know about any of the findings from the NCAA.How could Davis not know of these violations. All three should have been fired.
To Anonymous 7:45...I have decency and I will defend the Coach; a Coach has every right to tell his son he wishes to give him a scholarship. That scholarship has to be approved and validated by the AD and the University. It's completely believable that he discussed this with his son in a father-son capacity and completely unofficial. Maybe then his son tells some friends at school, and before you know it it's published on a blog.
Regardless, the AD, academic support system, compliance department, honor court, and chancellor all failed. The head coach isn't responsible for any of that. Butch is responsible for not monitoring Blake; Blake, Wiley, and Wichard were the key culprits here, and they took advantage of a lax system that was in place prior to Butch even taking the job.
Butch is culpapable, but he isn't totall responsible for all this mess.
The chancellor needs to be fired.
ingicHolden Thorp is a big pussy. He should change his name to Barney Poindexter and be done with it. He probably throws like a girl and never got picked at recess to be on any team.
"Unbelievable that anyone with a shred of decency or character would continue to defend Davis."
easy to believe an internet coward would attack davis "anonymously."
EASIER to believe someone would rip an anonymous poster...anonymously. Ha.
Gosh, there is a great deal of worthwhile material above!
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