Shoes for sale: Tar Heels will miss contests

CHAPEL HILL, N.C.» Less than a year after emerging from a long run of NCAA issues, North Carolina is dealing with rule violations again — this time for football players selling team-issued shoes.

The school announced Monday that 13 players will miss games serving suspensions for the secondary NCAA violations, which will leave the Tar Heels shorthanded during much of the season’s opening month.

Nine players will miss four games, two will sit two games and two will miss one contest. The NCAA approved a school request to delay two suspensions affecting multiple players at one position, while the other 11 suspensions begin with the Sept. 1 opener at California.

The suspensions have had at least one major impact already.

With sophomore quarterback Chazz Surratt among the players suspended four games, the team’s most-watched preseason position battle has come to a swift end with Fedora saying junior Nathan Elliott will start against Cal.

The players facing four-game suspensions are: Surratt; defensive ends Malik Carney, Tomon Fox and Tyrone Hopper; O-linemen Brian Anderson, Quiron Johnson and Jordan Tucker; receiver Beau Corrales and linebacker Malik Robinson.

Defensive backs Greg Ross and Tre Shaw must sit two games, while quarterback Jack Davidson and offensive lineman Jonah Melton will each miss one.