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09/17 15:49 CDT UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick resigns, probe into
conduct in football program concludes
UNC defensive coordinator Steve Belichick resigns, probe into conduct in
football program concludes
By AARON BEARD
AP Sports Writer
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (AP) --- Investigators looking into conduct within Bill
Belichick's North Carolina football program examined a range of allegations
tied to potential drug use, inappropriate relationships and NCAA rule
violations.
They talked to the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach among a lengthy list of
interviewees.
"Our scope was broad, so we looked into a lot of stuff," lead investigator Nate
Huff said Thursday.
And when the probe concluded, Belichick's son had joined a longtime confidant
of his father's in resigning from the program.
The school released a statement Thursday morning saying Steve Belichick's
resignation as defensive coordinator would be effective in late October at the
conclusion of a medical leave, which was announced early in preseason camp.
That made him the second high-profile resignation amid the probe, the other
being general manager Michael Lombardi earlier this month.
According to UNC's statement, the school's investigation "determined that
certain actions demonstrated a disregard for Carolina's values and standards of
conduct." The school didn't reveal specifics of those actions found by the
review, nor had it discussed details of the investigation launched in late July.
"The investigation also found that these actions were isolated in scope and not
a systemic failure," the school said in a statement that also announced a
player suspension following a Tuesday traffic stop.
In an interview later Thursday with The Associated Press, The Assembly and WRAL
of Raleigh, Huff along with UNC general counsel Paul Newton wouldn't discuss
detailed findings or conduct by specific individuals. But Huff --- an attorney
and former federal prosecutor --- confirmed his team looked into allegations
tied to drugs, relationships and NCAA issues.
"This was not a circumstance where we were targeting any individual person or
any specific people," Huff said. "We were looking program-wide --- football
program-wide."
More than 60 interviews were conducted, including of Bill Belichick Newton said the probe launched "based on the concerns raised by a limited number of former employees." "We took those concerns seriously," he said. That led the Office of University Counsel to hire Huff as independent counsel to run the investigation, which included more than 60 interviews. "At no point did I feel like the university counsel's office or university leadership or athletics leadership was limiting or steering me," Huff said. "I felt they were the people to whom I would go to to get the access I needed to get to the bottom of all this. And that was my experience. "So my team and I were able to immerse ourselves in Carolina football and its compliance and its culture, and in these allegations." Huff said investigators told interviewees that "just because we're asking about something doesn't mean we think that it happened or that it's real. It just means it's part of our job." Interviewees included the 74-year-old Bill Belichick, who won those six Super Bowl titles before making his NFL-to-college transition in December 2024 with Lombardi as an immediate hire. The probe ran throughout preseason camp, then continued as the Tar Heels beat TCUand East Tennessee State to start Belichick's second season. "He made his whole staff and himself available to me during football season," Huff said. "And these coaches that I talked to, people that I talked to in that building, the only thing they were asking me was, ?When do you need me?' and ?Where do you need me to be?' "So I was able to investigate football in the middle of football season fully. And I had access to people, even people like coach Bill Belichick." The probe had hovered over the Tar Heels since late July In Belichick's first news conference after Lombardi's Sept. 3 resignation, he faced questions that largely dealt nothing with football. Belichick said he believes his program "totally" has an atmosphere of following rules, saying: "Obviously everybody's responsible, including me, for doing things properly. And we intend to do that." That same day, UNC vice chancellor for communications Dean Stoyer --- who released Thursday's statement --- said the school "continues to support Bill Belichick and the Carolina football program." The school announced its probe in late July in the days after putting Lombardi on paid administrative leave. The same day Lombardi resigned, WRAL of Raleigh cited anonymous sources in reporting the type of questions asked of some interviewees, with some focusing on Steve Belichick. Additionally, Lombardi attorney Tom Mars told The Athletic that the school's probe now included questions into potential "inappropriate" relationships that didn't involve his client. Mars didn't return a call or email from the AP regarding that comment at the time. UNC said that "all necessary corrective actions are now underway" and that it considers the investigation to be "resolved." While declining to discuss specific findings, Huff said the school's corrective steps "are likely to include or address issues related to relationships." "The ?risk' always of bringing an investigation to ?conclusion' is that there are going to be those that will say, ?Oh, you didn't do enough. You should've looked at something else,'" Newton said. "The safe harbor there is that we're always open to anyone who wants to express new allegations, concerns, whatever. And if they're credible, we'll take proper corrective actions in the future. So this door is essentially never closed." The school also announced Thursday that freshman receiver Keeyun Chapman is suspended indefinitely after he was arrested Tuesday night during a traffic stop. He faces a misdemeanor charge of carrying a concealed weapon, according to the arrest report from the Chapel Hill Police Department. UNC visits Clemson on Saturday. ___ Sign up for Top 25 poll alerts here. Visit the Top 25 here and see AP's full college football coverage here |
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