Oh boy, here we go.
Ken Tysiac at ACC Now is reporting that UNC has scheduled a press conference tonight at 7:30 "to update the media on the status of the NCAA investigation." Coach Butch Davis, athletic director Dick Baddour, and Chancellor Holden Thorp will all speak at that time.[UPDATE]: Tysiac reports that Davis' "scheduled pre-practice briefing with the media was suddenly canceled. The early portion of practice, which was scheduled to be open to the media, was closed."
Meanwhile, Greg Barnes at Inside Carolina is reporting that an internal review of the football program has found academic infractions, and that those infractions have been self-reported to the NCAA. According to IC, "Sources report the various players involved were relegated to the scout team at practice on Wednesday."
My gut reaction about the press conference is that this is the big announcement. Given Carolina's reticence to speak publicly about the NCAA investigation for nearly two months, the fact that they are scheduling a big presser with the three big dogs, including the chancellor, means this is more than an "update". [UPDATE] Upon further review, the presence of the chancellor may be more related to the academic issues. Either way we'll know at 7:30.
As for the academic issues, it may be coincidental, or tangential, to the NCAA investigation. The fact that the academic infractions were self-discovered and self-reported may simply be the result of UNC taking a closer look into everything associated with the football program. At this point, anything else is speculation and hopefully answers will be forthcoming in a few hours.
[UPDATE 4:00 P.M.] ESPN's Joe Schad tweeted that UNC is looking into whether or not as many as 9 players had papers written for them by a former tutor. With things coming fast and furious now, we will just have to wait until 7:30 to see what the verdict is.
[UPDATE X2. 4:30 P.M.] Now Schad is tweeting that Marvin Austin said second-year Dolphins cornerback Vontae Davis helped finance some of his Florida trips. Davis, who played collegiately at Illinois, and Austin are old friends from Washington, D.C. Expect nuggets like this to start dropping as the big press conference approaches and the details start leaking.