N&O reporter pushes Butch Davis on John Blake

UNC coach Butch Davis, at podium, and N&O reporter Joe Giglio, at right

Joe Giglio of The News & Observer pressed UNC coach Butch Davis Thursday on associate head coach John Blake, who has ties to agent Gary Wichard.

The News and Observer reported earlier this week that San Francisco 49er Kentwan Balmer, a Wichard client, paid for UNC players Marvin Austin and Cam Thomas to visit the West Coast to work out in the summer of 2009. That would be an NCAA violation unless Balmer had provided similar trips when he was a player at UNC, which is unlikely.
Giglio asked Davis Thursday if Davis had any concern about hiring Blake because of his relationship with Wichard.

“No,” Davis said. “I'm not talking about any of the things that have anything to do with this review."

Giglio followed to say he hadn’t asked about the NCAA review, but about a coach.

"I know you did and I told you that anything that has anything to do with any kind of investigation or any kind of review, we're not going to talk about it,” Davis said. “I'd be happy to talk all you want about football."

Another reporter followed up with a question about UNC’s linebackers.

The bottom line was, Davis had clearly linked the NCAA probe to Blake in his responses. The N and O posted a transcript on its website.