The North Carolina athletic department knew as early as June 21 that the NCAA was conducting a review of possible rules violations — three weeks before investigators arrived on campus.
Twenty-four days after the first documented correspondence between UNC and the NCAA regarding the investigation, news broke of an ongoing review on campus, according to e-mail records.
Athletic director Dick Baddour said his staff made no attempt to hide the review, but also did not have a discussion on whether or not to make an announcement to the public.
“The assumption probably would have been that the public would know that,” Baddour said. “We didn’t expect to hide it, and our anticipation was that once we started the investigation, that the public would be aware of it. So I don’t know that we actually discussed that we would make an announcement.”
In an e-mail dated June 21 sent to Amy Herman, assistant athletic director for compliance, NCAA investigator Chance Miller said he and Rachel Newman-Baker, director of agent, gambling and amateurism activities, would be on campus July 12 to interview student athletes.
Defensive tackle Marvin Austin and wide receiver Greg Little, both seniors, were interviewed by investigators.
UNC has not confirmed the investigation centers on the two players in order to “protect the integrity” of the review, but head coach Butch Davis has acknowledged that a decision has yet to be reached on their status for the LSU game on Sept. 4.
Three days after the e-mail, UNC enlisted former NCAA investigator Rick Evrard to assist the school and counsel in not leaving “any stone unturned,” Baddour said. Evrard has been to Chapel Hill once since being contacted and Kevin Best, director of football communications, said his fees have been less than $1,000.
“These can be very complicated situations,” Baddour said. “It’s obvious that we’ve not been through anything like this before.”
