13 UNC football players are suspended for at least one game; Surratt and Carney will miss four games each.
On Monday (August 6), 13 UNC football players were suspended for at least one game to kick off the 2018 season. Nine of the players, including quarterback Chazz Surratt and defensive end Malik Carney, will miss four games.
This news comes three weeks after the story was initially reported during ACC media days in Charlotte. The university self-reported the offenses.
The suspensions for UNC football are due to 15 football players who sold school-issued shoes (UNC Retro Air Jordan 3) for $2,500 cash.
Due to positional overlap and health/safety issues, some suspensions will be staggered. For example, Carney will face East Carolina, Central Florida, Pittsburgh, and Virginia Tech. Tomon Fox, a fellow defensive end, will miss Miami, Syracuse, Virginia, and Georgia Tech.
The other suspensions will occur during the opener versus Cal on September 1.
UNC football will begin the 2018 season on the road against an up-and-coming California team; Surratt was also in consideration to start the game. That will no longer be the case. Larry Fedora acknowledged at today’s news conference that the job should go to lefty Nathan Elliott.
Three of the suspended UNC football players sold their sneakers directly to retail outlets; when the infringement was discovered, the shoes could not be found.
According to Athletic Director Bubba Cunningham, however, there isn’t much else to see here save the suspensions: “This case is closed, and as soon as the suspensions are served, this will be the end of it.”
