The investigation into the North Carolina football program continues, but the college athletic careers of Marvin Austin, Greg Little and Robert Quinn have come to an end.
The NCAA ruled senior wide receiver Little and junior defensive end Quinn permanently ineligible, and the football program dismissed senior defensive tackle Austin on Monday for violations of NCAA agent benefits, preferential treatment and ethical conduct rules.
Athletic director Dick Baddour said the University will honor all three players’ scholarships so long as they continue to make progress toward graduation, but the University will not appeal the NCAA’s decision and the trio will no longer practice with the team.
Baddour said the athletic department has finished investigating the rest of the team’s players with regards to interactions with agents and that no further players will be held out of competition for agent violations. An investigation into academic infractions is ongoing.
Little’s benefits reached approximately $4,952 and included a pair of diamond earrings and trips to the Bahamas, Washington, D.C., and Miami. Quinn’s gifts included two black diamond watches, a pair of matching earrings and a trip to Miami, totaling approximately $5,642.
A statement issued by the NCAA said both Little and Quinn were “not truthful” during interviews and only came clean after being shown evidence that they had not been honest.
Though the NCAA had not yet concluded its investigation of Austin, the University decided to dismiss the defensive tackle after learning of “ethical conduct” infractions he had committed along with receiving improper benefits Baddour valued at $10,000 to $13,000.
Austin’s lawyer, Christopher Lyons of Miami, would not say whether Austin was planning to remain enrolled at UNC.
“Marvin will make that decision at the appropriate time,” Lyons said. “Right now he is concentrating on being positive and productive, and supporting his teammates.”
