Both North Carolina football coach Butch Davis and athletic director Dick Baddour said Thursday that they knew a month ago about money exchanges between former coach John Blake and a sports agent.
In a statement released by the athletic department, Baddour said the University, through the NCAA investigation, uncovered financial documents on Aug. 31 tying Blake to sports agent and friend Gary Wichard.
“Financial transactions in and of themselves don’t establish a violation, and at that time we did not have enough information to dismiss him with cause,” Baddour said.
Blake resigned from his position as associate coach and recruiting coordinator on Sept. 5, one day after UNC’s 30-24 loss to Louisiana State.
Yahoo Sports reported Wednesday night that Blake received at least six wire transfers from Wichard, along with a $45,000 loan and a credit card issued in Blake’s name by Wichard’s sports agency, Pro Tect Management.
“I don’t think anything came to light, from what I understand from the administration, in that particular story that wasn’t already known over the last couple of weeks as part of the review and the investigation the NCAA conducted,” Davis said.
Davis said he was unaware that Blake’s relationship with Wichard included money exchanges.
“Clearly as the football coach you’d like to think that you would know,” Davis said. “But the answer to your question is that I did not know.”
Davis hired Blake in December 2006 after Blake was an assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. Along with his three-year stint with the Huskers, Blake has worked as an assistant coach at the University of Tulsa, Mississippi State University and the University of Oklahoma, where he was also head coach from 1996-98.
