DEVELOPING: Butch Davis fired by UNC

((ht: newsobserver.com))

It had to happen this way. Particularly after he took full responsibility for everything just two days ago.

The University of North Carolina fired head football coach Butch Davis today, just before practice for the upcoming season was about to begin next week.

The University spoke in a press conference at length about "Restoring Integrity" and "Moving Forward", which wasn't wrong.

Really the question is just "Why now?"

Read the entire story from the Raleigh News and Observer RIGHT HERE

There's a long list of problems the program has come under fire for over the past two years. Several players were suspended for the entire 2010 season for alleged improprieties and the list of problems continues to grow.

We suspect this was the first move to show the NCAA that administrators at the school are still in control, but again, the question is, "Why now...?" There's been nothing new since the Michael McAdoo incident...and that was a few weeks ago.

No word on an interim replacement for Davis, but the school is going to have a lot of work ahead to try and restore its reputation and live through what happened over the past few years.

Here's the release from our friends at UNC their ownselves...

University of North Carolina Chancellor Holden Thorp announced this evening that Butch Davis has been dismissed as head coach of the Carolina football program.
Davis was informed by Thorp and Director of Athletics Dick Baddour of the decision.
“To restore confidence in the University of North Carolina and our football program, it’s time to make a change,” said Thorp. “What started as a purely athletic issue has begun to chip away at this University’s reputation. I have been deliberate in my approach to understanding this situation fully, and I have worked to be fair to everyone involved. However, I have lost confidence in our ability to come through this without harming the way people think of this institution. Our academic integrity is paramount and we must work diligently to protect it. The only way to move forward and put this behind us is to make a change.”

Thorp said the decision was not related to any change in the NCAA investigation, but that it was the result of the cumulative damage to the University’s reputation over the past year.

“Athletics and football are an important part of this University, and a successful football program is essential to the overall health of our athletic program,” Thorp continued. “That’s why we have to put this behind us and move forward.” Baddour said, “The last 13 months have been some of the most difficult that anyone associated with the athletic department and football program have dealt with. At this time, a decision has been made to change the leadership of the football program to help the entire University community move forward.

“I want to thank Butch Davis and his family for their four‐plus years of service and dedication to the University and the Chapel Hill community,” continued Baddour. “My staff and I will work with Chancellor Thorp to transition to an interim head coach as soon as possible. It is critical that we do all we can to help our students and other staff members on the football team since preseason training camp begins in just eight days.”

A presser is set for campus tomorrow morning...
More when we know more...