Butch Davis speaks out on ESPN about UNC academic scandal
RALEIGH (WTVD) -- One of the first people to lose his job over the UNC academic scandal is talking.
Former football coach Butch Davis spoke on ESPN's "Outside the Lines" Friday saying he's not to blame.
Davis called it a rush to judgment. He lost his job and some would argue his reputation.
While he wasn't implicated in the recent Wainstein investigative report, the document does reveal some of Davis' players remained eligible with the help of bogus "paper classes." The report lists 123 over the 18-year course of the scandal, but does not specify how many of those were during Davis' tenure.
The fired coach told ESPN that he had no clue about the depth of the scam.
"We had no idea that any of those kinds of things existed," said Davis. "I don't think it's the coach's job to know any of those kinds of things like the secretary is grading the papers. I totally disagree with that."
Wainstein's report says Davis was well aware of the irregular classes by Nov. 2009 after one of his football counselors gave a presentation about it. Davis denies that and instead told ESPN that UNC used him and his football program as scapegoats.
"The University would've loved to have been able to wrap it up as fast and as quick as possible to contain it and make it a football issue and maybe make it a Butch Davis issue," he added.
Davis says he tried to strengthen the academic standards of his players when he was hired. He even limited the number of his players granted special admission to UNC.
The Wainstein report points out he delegated the academic details to his assistant coaches and counselors, some of whom were later implicated in the scandal.
There were red flags that were missed by lots of people in the 14 to 15 years before I ever went to the University of North Carolina," said Davis.
One person told investigators that Davis allegedly said he wanted more classes that didn't require attendance.
Davis denied that as well, according to the report.
