Let’s hear it for head football coach Paul Hilton “Butch” Davis, Jr., who managed to get his ass canned at UNC for academic improprieties.
Wow, the guy who vowed to run a clean program at “The U” after the departure and sanction of Dennis Erickson for NCAA rules violations. Say it ain’t so, Butchy! The Hurricanes received recognition during his time there for outstanding graduation rate among football players. Maybe now we can speculate about how they graduated.
After Miami, Davis proved that he wasn’t an NFL coach by butchering the Cleveland Browns. They haven’t yet recovered.
On November 27, 2006, Butch Davis replaced the fired John Bunting at the helm of University of North Carolina football. In July 2010, the NCAA began investigating possible violations involving improper benefits provided by agents to current players at UNC. In September 2010, the NCAA opened a second prong of its investigation, this time involving possible improper tutor involvement with UNC student-athletes. In response to the investigation, local and national sports columnists penned articles calling for Davis’ termination. Over 13 UNC football players were suspended from the team’s season opener, in Atlanta against the LSU Tigers. At the end of October 2010, three star players—WR Greg Little, DT Marvin Austin, and DE Robert Quinn—were ruled permanently ineligible after it was discovered they improperly accepted gifts from sports agents. Five other players were found guilty of accepting improper benefits and/or inappropriate academic assistance.
He did manage to achieve a superior degree of success on the field, especially for a sport that is overshadowed by the basketball program at UNC. Pity.
And so now, the 59 year-old Davis, who was earning $1,800,000 annually, is on the street like so many others in these troubled times. He’s probably finished in college football.
