Tar Heels' Austin dismissed, two others ruled ineligible

Published Oct. 12, 2010 10:01 a.m. ET

foxsports

North Carolina has dismissed senior
defensive end Marvin Austin from the football team, and announced that the
NCAA has declared wide receiver Greg Little and defensive end Robert Quinn
permanently ineligible.

Both announcements are the result of investigations into whether Tar Heels
players received improper benefits from agents.

Austin had been suspended since September 1 for violating team rules, though
prior to that, a report from the Raleigh News & Observer said that former Tar
Heel defensive lineman Kentwan Balmer paid for two UNC players to travel and
attend a training facility in Westlake Village, California in the summer of
2009. The report said Austin was one of those players.

North Carolina's release on Monday said the school did not submit a
reinstatement case to the NCAA.

Little and Quinn were ruled permanently ineligible by the NCAA reinstatement
staff, as both were guilty of "violations of NCAA agent benefits, preferential
treatment and ethical conduct rules," according to the school's release.

The total value of benefits Little received is $4,952, and includes diamond
earrings, travel accommodations to the Bahamas and Washington DC, and two
trips to Miami.

Quinn received benefits worth $5,642, including two black diamond watches, a
pair of matching earrings and travel accommodations to Miami.

In addition to the improper benefits, Little and Quinn were found guilty of
unethical conduct after providing false and misleading information during
three interviews with the school and NCAA staff. The release said the two
provided accurate information only after they were "presented with evidence
that was contrary to their assertions."

The news about the three players comes about a month after associate head
football coach John Blake resigned amid the NCAA's investigation into possible
violations.

It was reported that Blake is a close friend of Gary Wichard, Balmer's agent,
and that Wichard clients used the California training facility.