As you have no doubt heard by now, North Carolina Wednesday dismissed head coach Butch Davis, a move that was head-scratching and inexplicable if for nothing more than its timing.
UNC chancellor Holden Thorp and athletic director Dick Baddour will meet with the media at 11 a.m. ET Thursday morning to address the dismissal, but, ahead of the press conference, Davis has issued a rather lengthy statement regarding the school’s decision a week before the start of summer camp and roughly five weeks before the start of the season.
In the statement, Davis expressed disappointment and sadness over the move while once again reiterating that he “personally did nothing wrong” when it came to the twin scandals that ultimately cost him his job. Additionally, Davis said he will not be doing interviews and did not address what his future may or may not hold, in part because he doesn’t want it to be a distraction for the players and coaches left behind.
Here’s the text of the statement, in its entirety:
“My family and I were surprised and saddened to learn that I have been relieved of my duties as head football coach at Carolina. I am not naïve enough to have ever considered this situation anything less than a serious matter and a significant priority. I have worked as hard as possible to address all aspects of the program that have been questioned. I fully believe we were on our way to getting past these issues and moving ahead in a positive direction.
“My family and I have been able to endure this difficult period in our lives for several reasons: First and foremost, as a family we have known all along that I personally did nothing wrong. That is the truth. Second, we have also had remarkable support from friends, family, the players, our coaching staff and so many others within the Tar Heel community. That these players and coaches were able to achieve the success they did last season, under such circumstances, makes me enormously proud.
“Moving forward, I wish only the best for the current team and coaches. For the players in particular, I wish them nothing but success on the field and in the classroom. The coaches already know how I feel about them. I couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and dedication. In fact, during the past year or so, my respect and love for our players, the coaching staff and the football administrative staff has grown enormously. It’s a wonderful group of people and I will miss them all.
“For now, I will not be doing any interviews. Perhaps in time I will feel more comfortable about discussing my future. But for now, it’s important to move on as smoothly as possible, because I absolutely do not want to add any further distraction for the players and coaching staff as they approach the 2011 season.”