North Carolina coach Butch Davis says he’s responsible for the NCAA fiasco in Chapel Hill. “Fully and completely” responsible as a matter of fact.
He’s right. Fully and completely.
After all, it was Davis who willingly hired former assistant John Blake. The same John Blake who has been accused of leading players to former agent Gary Wichard. The same John Blake who put UNC in a bind for allegedly not cooperating with the NCAA’s investigation.
It was Davis who had ties to ex-tutor Jennifer Wiley, who tutored Davis’ own son and allegedly provided benefits to students-athletes.
Yet, it was Davis’ name that was left out of the Notice of Allegations against the program.
But Davis is, by his own admission, fully and completely responsible for the current pickle in which UNC finds itself.
“I’m the head football coach,” Davis said today during ACC Media Days. “And things that happen, anything I can do to make sure these things don’t happen…anything that we can do to make sure that doesn’t happen again, that’s part of my responsibility.”
So why isn’t he being treated as the one responsible?
He hasn’t considered resigning, and North Carolina hasn’t indicated they plan on firing him because -- as of last November -- there is no evidence “that Coach Davis knew about or took part in any of the things that happened”.
If that’s their logic, fine. Davis still deserves to be fined and suspended from having any contact with his team until the school realizes their fate at the hands of the Committee on Infractions. If, for nothing else, he deserves it on the very grounds that is saving his job.
He didn’t know. Allegedly.
Butch Davis, the head football coach of North Carolina, didn’t know one of his assistants was potentially causing some major problems for his program -- completely oblivious; ignorant; out of the loop.
Coaches can’t always keep tabs on their 100-plus football players 24/7, but they sure as hell can keep tabs on their coaching staff.
If Davis won’t be suspended for the allegations, he should be suspended for not seeing the possibility ahead of time.
Coaches are control freaks, micro-managers. They are the captain of the vessel. Their job is to know what’s going on in their program.
Need proof? Ask a coach during, say, conference media days.
It amazes me time and time again how coaches aren’t held to the highest of standards for their actions. Oh, sure, programs talk a big game about holding their coaches accountable, but those statements ring hollow until they follow through.
If UNC wants the NCAA to take them seriously, they’ll do more than stand idly by watching Davis express his remorse.
Because words are worthless.
Show them he is accountable. After all, Davis admitted he was.
Fully and completely.