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Ex-UNC coaches Davis, Brown deny knowledge of fradulent classes

Mark Dolejs / PRESSWIRE

Former North Carolina football coaches Butch Davis and Mack Brown have denied any involvement in the UNC academic fraud scandal.

Davis, who coached the Tar Heels program from 2007-10, vehemently rejected the idea that he had any knowledge of his players attending fraudulent classes.

He said both he and Brown wanted to see their players grow on and off the field and wouldn't do anything to hinder that, according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy.

"Absolutely not (was I aware of any fraudulent activity)," Davis said. "We were completely interested in our players graduating, having great careers and success academically, but to say we had any idea that there were fraudulent independent study classes - yes, we were aware there were independent classes - but to say there were fraudulent or that there was anything crooked - we had no idea."

According to the investigation, more than 3,100 students, nearly half of them athletes, used classes in the former African and Afro-American Studies department in Chapel Hill that were built around inadequately evaluated research papers to artificially boost marks.

Brown coached the team from 1988-97. He said he wasn't contacted to participate in any of the seven investigations into UNC's academic scandal.

Although he never spoke to academic support staff personally, Brown said his coaching staff was always getting feedback on his players' classroom performance.

"I wasn't aware (of the paper classes)," Brown said. "I never ever heard, felt or saw anything inappropriate academically. Like Butch said, after 30 years as a head coach, I never told an academic counselor where to put a young guy in a class, never told one what major to take. I never met with a dean, never met with someone in the department. I've never gone and talked with a faculty member about a grade because there was perceived pressure.

"I was getting (academic) reports, like Butch would get reports, but it was simply (an update on student-athlete's) grades."

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