Chancellor Lee Roberts slams the investigation looming over Chapel Hill, calling the distraction an obstacle to student-athlete success as the North Carolina program grapples with an ongoing internal probe.
The situation at North Carolina is uncomfortable this week after the program put Michael Lombardi, general manager of the football team, on paid administrative leave amid an investigation.
During a news conference on Thursday, UNC chancellor Lee Roberts expressed his frustration with the Lombardi investigation hovering over the program before the start of training camp this summer.
“I'm disappointed that we're that we're talking about this," Robert said, via Brian Murphy of WRAL.
"We should be focusing on our student athletes and on their success on the field and on all of the wonderful things that happen at this university every day, providing opportunities for students from every nook and cranny of North Carolina, and so it's distressing to me and everyone else in the administration entrusted with leadership at this remarkable university that this is something that we have to have to spend time on.”
Murphy said the program learned about the situation last week.
“With respect to football, we learned of some concerns last week," he said. "We put Mike Lombardi on administrative leave, as you know. We began an investigation. If something has gone wrong, we want to know about it.
"If something needs to be fixed, we will be sure to fix it. There's a standard of excellence here that all of us are entrusted with adhering to.”
UNC already went through an embarrassing 4-8 season last year, and things have taken a turn for the worse before training camp this summer. It's a distraction head coach Bill Belichick didn't need before getting his players ready for a brutal schedule to start the year.
Earlier on Thursday, UNC released a statement that the investigation was ongoing, and the school did not plan to comment on the allegations.
“As a result of concerns behind allegations that led to the personnel action regarding Michael Lombardi announced on July 27, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, through its Office of University Counsel, is in the process of investigating this matter," the statement reads, via Pete Thamel of ESPN.
"Because this involves confidential personnel issues, the University will not comment on the nature of the allegations or discuss personnel information.”
In addition to the investigation, Belichick chose not to comment on a potential investigation by the College Sports Commission.
There's nothing the team can do about the investigation now, in either case. UNC will continue to be the punchline of jokes until the team starts winning games.
And that doesn't seem hopeful at this point.
