A Closer Look At UNC’s New NOA

As you probably know, the NCAA sent UNC another revised Notice of Allegations, and this one is more severe than the second one.

The N&O’s Andrew Carter has a useful rundown on what it does and doesn’t mean.

Here’s his summary:

It means that NOA3 presents a stronger, more focused case against the classes and the actions associated with them. NOA1 tried to argue the classes constituted a violation of impermissible benefits rules. The basis of that argument was that athletic academic counselors provided “special arrangements” in relation to those classes, and that those arrangements violated NCAA rules...NOA3 makes a clearer argument of a scheme, a conspiracy among Crowder, Nyang'oro and athletic department officials. The threads of such a case were there in NOA1, but were unconnected. NOA3 states simply that Crowder and Nyang'oro “worked closely and directly with athletics.”

The upshot?

More severe penalties are on the table, including possible vacations of games played with ineligible athletes. This could affect the 2005 and 2009 titles.

UNC has titles in 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005 and 2009 (UNC claims the 1923 championship even though there was no tournament and the title was “awarded” retroactively).

We know that Frank McGuire was fired at UNC following major NCAA violations, which means that three of UNC’s five NCAA championships may be tainted.