Austin, Little will practice with Tar Heels

Marvin Austin and Greg Little will practice with the North Carolina football team on Friday when the Tar Heels' training camp opens, a team spokesman said.

Shane Lyons, the ACC's associate commissioner for compliance, said there is no NCAA rule against players under NCAA investigation participating in practice.

If the NCAA rules a player ineligible, Lyons said, they still would be able to practice.

"They would be ineligible for competition, not for practice," Lyons said.

The NCAA interviewed an undisclosed number of UNC football players on July 12 and July 13. Little, a senior receiver, was one of them, his father said. The News & Observer has confirmed that Austin, a senior defensive tackle, also was interviewed.

The Tar Heels, who open practice on Friday, are waiting to hear from the NCAA about its investigation into the football program for the possibility of players receiving improper benefits from agents.

Kevin Best, the team's spokesman, said Austin and Little will be at practice on Friday.

South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders, also interviewed by the NCAA, practiced with the Gamecocks on Tuesday.

UNC opens the season on Sept. 4 against Louisiana State in Atlanta. If it doesn't get a ruling from the NCAA, Lyons said, then the school would have to make a decision.

"The institution has to ask itself if they have violated any rules," Lyons said, without specifically commenting on the UNC probe. "Then they would make a determination if they are going to withhold the players in question."

Lyons said players ruled ineligible by the NCAA are still eligible to remain on scholarship and practice with the team, under NCAA rules.

It would be up to UNC, not the ACC or NCAA, to revoke an ineligible player's scholarship, Lyons said.

-- J.P. Giglio