Thirteen North Carolina football players, including quarterback Chazz Surratt, have been suspended for at least one game this season after they were caught selling school-issued, special-edition Nike Jordan shoes, a secondary NCAA violation.
UNC self-reported the violation in January. Among those suspended four games: Surratt, starting defensive end Malik Carney, offensive lineman Brian Anderson, wide receiver Beau Corrales, defensive end Tomon Fox, defensive end Tyrone Hopper, offensive lineman Quiron Johnson, linebacker Malik Robinson and offensive lineman Jordan Tucker.
Defensive backs Greg Ross and Tre Shaw will miss two games, and quarterback Jack Davidson and offensive lineman Jonah Melton will miss one.
Since multiple players share the same position, the NCAA approved a request to stagger certain suspensions. Carney will sit games against East Carolina, UCF, Pittsburgh and Virginia Tech, while Fox will miss the Miami, Syracuse, Virginia and Georgia Tech games.
Surratt’s suspension changes the dynamic of the quarterback competition headed into the season. Coach Larry Fedora wouldn’t say whether Surratt or Nathan Elliott had an edge in the competition going into preseason camp. But with Surratt forced to miss the first four games, it should be Elliott’s job when the season opens at California on Sept. 1.
Surratt started in seven of UNC’s first nine games last season, while Elliott started the final three.
“I am certainly upset by our players’ actions and how their choices reflect on them, our program and the University,” Fedora said in a statement. “These young men knew the rules and are being held responsible for the poor choices they have made. Accountability is an important core principle in this program. We will learn from this and aim to do better in the future.”