After what many felt was a very light punishment gently slapped on Jim Tressel by Ohio State for committing what was a self-described “major violation”, this little bit of news will likely ruffle more than a few feathers.
In a press release issued by the school late Friday morning, North Carolina announced that senior cornerback Charles Brown has been suspended for the 2011 opener against James Madison.
The reason for the suspension? The release states that "[t]he NCAA determined Brown accepted benefits in the amount of $86.94 from an individual identified as a prospective agent prior to the 2010 season.”
Brown missed all of the 2010 season after being caught up in the academic side of the NCAA’s twin agent/academic investigation into the UNC football program. After being held out for the first half of last season, it was announced on Oct. 20 that Brown would miss the remainder of the year because of the probe.
Brown started all 13 games as a junior in 2009. All told, he’s played in 35 games -- including nine starts during his freshman year -- during his time in Chapel Hill.