CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) - The Latest on 13 North Carolina football players being suspended for selling school-issued shoes (all times local):
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4:25 p.m.
One of the 13 North Carolina players suspended for selling school-issued shoes says he made “a wrong decision.”
Defensive end Malik Carney was the only suspended player who spoke with reporters Monday after the school’s announcement that several players had been sidelined. Carney says he was “obviously disappointed” and that he apologized to the team for committing the secondary NCAA violation.
Asked if he knew selling the pair of shoes was improper, Carney said, “In the moment like that, you’re not really thinking about the consequences.” Carney declined to talk about specifics of the transaction.
Carney is one of nine players who must sit four games, though he’ll start his suspension Week 2 against East Carolina. Eleven players will be suspended for the opener at California.
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3:45 p.m.
North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham says he’s satisfied that the school has resolved all issues tied to football players committing NCAA violations by selling their team-issued shoes.
Cunningham and coach Larry Fedora addressed reporters Monday afternoon following the school’s announcement that 13 players faced suspensions for the secondary violations. Nine of those players are suspended for four games, two are suspended for two and two must sit out one game. The school had reported the issue to the NCAA in January.
Cunningham says school officials reacted quickly when they learned of the violations and had their investigation completed in roughly four days. He says he believes the case will be “closed” and resolved once the suspensions are served.
Fedora says the suspended players are “very remorseful.”
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3:25 p.m.
North Carolina has three defensive ends among 13 players facing suspensions for selling team-issued shoes. The school sought - and received - approval from the NCAA to stagger some of the suspensions.
The school announced Monday that returning starter Malik Carney, Tomon Fox and Tyrone Hopper were each suspended four games, though Carney and Fox will begin their suspensions after the opener. Hopper will begin serving his suspension the opener at California.
Carney will miss games starting Week 2 against East Carolina, UCF and Pittsburgh. He’ll return to play at Miami, then sit again at home against Virginia Tech on Oct. 13.
Fox won’t sit out until the Sept. 27 game against Miami. He’ll return against Virginia Tech, then sit again against Syracuse, Virginia and Georgia Tech on Nov. 3.
Coach Larry Fedora is scheduled to speak with reporters later Monday afternoon.
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2:50 p.m.
Thirteen North Carolina players face early season suspensions for selling team-issued shoes.
UNC said Monday nine players received four-game suspensions for the secondary NCAA violations. Two players will sit two games and two others will be sidelined for one contest. The NCAA approved a school request to delay two suspensions affecting multiple players at one position, while the other 11 suspensions start with the Sept. 1 opener at California.
The list of players include sophomore quarterback Chazz Surratt, who is suspended the first four games. Surratt started seven games last season and entered preseason competing with Nathan Elliott for the starting job.
UNC reported the violations after learning of shoes being sold to at least one retailer in an email from a member of the public in January, according to documents released after a public-records request from The Associated Press.
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