DURHAM -- North Carolina football coach Butch Davis said Thursday that he will release records of the business calls he made on his personal cellphone in response to a media public records request.
Media outlets have sought to review Davis' personal cellphone records in hopes of shedding light on an investigation that has resulted in NCAA allegations of major violations against the Tar Heels' program.
Davis said his personal cellphone records were reviewed "completely and entirely" last fall by UNC's counsel, and he plans to release them "pretty soon." He said he plans to redact personal calls from the records.
"It's a personal cellphone that I've had for over 10 years," Davis said. "And so we'll redact, and I will go through it and things like my wife, my son, my dad, my sister, close personal friends and family members, those types of things. Anything that has anything to do with UNC and business, those will be completely open for public record."
The News & Observer also has asked for records of business calls on Davis' home phone. UNC spokeswoman Nancy Davis said Butch Davis has told school officials he does not conduct university business on his home phone.
Davis met for eight minutes with reporters after the annual Triangle Pigskin Preview charity luncheon that features coaches from UNC, Duke, N.C. State, East Carolina and N.C. Central.
In his first public comments since UNC received a notice of allegations from the NCAA in June, Davis said the university has done a "remarkable" job in full cooperation with the NCAA.
Under review
The NCAA on June 21 sent UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp a notice alleging nine major violations. The investigation of impermissible benefits and academic misconduct began in July 2010 and resulted in 14 players missing games in the 2010 season, with seven missing the entire season.
UNC must provide a written response by Sept. 19 and meet with the Committee on Infractions on Oct. 28.
"Now, obviously, we have the opportunity for 90 days to review those allegations and decide which ones they think they might want to contest and which ones they don't think there is any contest to it," Davis said, "and in October, we'll go in front of the infractions committee and some time thereafter we'll find out what comes out of the entire investigation."
Davis said he plans to join school officials when they meet with the Committee on Infractions. He declined to respond to any of the allegations, saying the NCAA has asked UNC officials to refrain from comment and that athletic director Dick Baddour is the spokesman for the school.
"There's a limited amount that any of us know," Davis said. "I think, certainly, as has been talked about many, many times is that Dick Baddour as the athletic director, he's been the point guy. And he along with our compliance department and Chancellor Thorp, they're the ones that are in the know on absolutely everything. There's a lot of things that I don't need to know, don't know."
Throughout the NCAA investigation, Davis said, he has expected to remain UNC's coach. He was not personally cited in the notice of allegations, which spared UNC the damaging "lack of institutional control" charge but did accuse the school of failure to monitor some violations.
"I totally expected to be the football coach," Davis said. "I've been very, very fortunate. I've had great support from the administration and the board of trustees, the athletic director, Chancellor Thorp. And I'm excited about the future of our program."
McAdoo's status
Davis said he wasn't sure whether plagiarism allegations against former defensive tackle Michael McAdoo will prevent him from keeping his scholarship and holding a student coaching position.
In the spring, Davis said, UNC director of NCAA compliance Amy Herman asked the NCAA if McAdoo would be allowed to stay on scholarship and finish his education if he lost his legal appeal for reinstatement after being permanently banned by the NCAA.
McAdoo, who originally had been punished for improperly citing his sources in a term paper bibliography, had his attempt at an injunction denied last week by Durham Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson. In addition, fans and media analyzing the term paper in court records found evidence that large sections of the paper appeared to be plagiarized. Neither UNC nor the NCAA had noticed the apparent plagiarism.
Davis is uncertain whether McAdoo wants to come back to UNC for classes, or whether he will enter the NFL's supplemental draft or transfer to a school not affiliated with the NCAA to play football.
"I can't tell you what his plans are, or whether or not any of these subsequent allegations that have come up are going to affect our decision," Davis said, "but it's something I'm sure the athletic department will talk about as well as whether or not he's actually even eligible now."
In response to threats on Twitter last week by former Tar Heels defensive tackle Marvin Austin to go public with details of NCAA violations in the program, Davis said Austin was deeply disappointed by McAdoo's failure to get his eligibility reinstated.
Austin was declared permanently ineligible last season by UNC after receiving more than $13,000 in impermissible benefits. On Twitter last week, Austin threatened to "spill the beans" about the case.
"The one thing I do know," Davis said, "is that Marvin knows is that I am completely ethical and that I always do the right thing."
Staff writer Dan Kane contributed to this report.
