The NCAA appears to be really going after the North Carolina football team. I don't think this can end well for the Heels. We could be talking about multiple player suspensions from a defense that has at least half a dozen NFL prospects.
TomahawkNation.com has put together a nice summary of the latest reports on this story. The TarHeelFanBlog is putting out frequent updates on the situation as well.
There no telling exactly what punishment might be coming from the NCAA, but let's look at what might happen if a severe one comes. How does it affect of the rest ACC?
North Carolina didn't probably have, they did have the most talented ACC defense since the Florida State glory years of the 90s and early 2000s. They were coming off back to back 8 win seasons, which included an impressive Thursday night win at Virginia Tech last season. They also beat Miami last year too.
The Heels were a trendy pick to be Virginia Tech's biggest challenger to the ACC Coastal Division. They were poised to be a major player in the conference division race. If we go with the possibility Marvin Austin is suspended for the year and wide receiver Greg Little, safety Denuta Williams, cornerback Kendric Burney, and linbackers Bruce Carter and Quan Sturdivant miss the early part of the season, the complexion of the ACC totally changes.
Let's face it UNC's offense can't carry through it through the first three games of the season when they face LSU, Georgia Tech at home, or at Rutgers. Suddenly Georgia Tech can open the season 7-0 before a game at Clemson. At UNC would have been their toughest game early game September 18th.
The Heels are looking at this kind of season
LSU - L
Georgia Tech - L
@Rutgers - L
East Carolina - W (maybe the others besides Austin return here)
Clemson - toss up
@Virginia - W, but the Cavs did beat UNC last year
@Miami - L
William & Mary - W
@Florida State - L
Virginia Tech - L
NC State - toss up
@Duke - toss up
The Heels go from ACC contender to a 5-7 or 6-6 season. It sounds dramatic, but it can happen with the defensive losses. Move Georgia Tech and Miami each up a notch in the standings for sure. It could especially get the Jacket's season going in the right direction. Miami had UNC in the middle of a stretch at Duke, UNC, at Virginia, then Maryland before going to Georgia Tech. That now looks like it could be a 4 game winning streak for the Canes.
We'll have to see how it turns out for the UNC, but any significant sanctions will destroy a program that plays second fiddle to the basketball team already. In the short term the biggest beneficiaries could be Georgia Tech and Miami for the 2010 season.
