Davis draws the line: Dismissal of McAdoo is appropriate in turbulent times.

Sophomore defensive lineman Jared McAdoo has been released from the UNC football team after violating team rules, according to a statement released by head coach Butch Davis.

Faced with evidence of misconduct and disregard for team policy, Davis’ dismissal of McAdoo is the right move at a time when UNC football cannot afford to make any more mistakes.

Davis’ decision is reminiscent of UNC basketball coach Roy Williams’ dismissal of senior guard Will Graves from UNC’s basketball team last October.

Although seemingly contrary to UNC’s winning traditon, Graves’ dismissal was necessary to uphold the more important moral code that dictates UNC’s mission as an institution.

McAdoo had been arrested twice prior to this incident: once for selling Percocets at his high school in 2008, and another time for carrying a BB gun on campus during summer school (a charge that was eventually dropped).

In light of what was expected to be a promising football career at UNC, Davis made the right decision by appropriating higher value to the ethics of his program rather than the efforts of a single individual.

Last fall, Davis’ role as head coach was called into question and numerous players were deemed ineligible after the NCAA began investigating the football program for multiple violations.

Many, including The Daily Tar Heel’s editorial board, believed Davis should have been fired for allowing such offenses to pile up on his watch.

Last Monday’s announcement of McAdoo’s dismissal is a positive step toward re-instating what we already knew to be true: UNC places a higher premium on the Carolina Way, playing the game by the rules with integrity and fairness, than it does on winning.

Although in doubt last fall, Davis has reassured Tar Heels that integrity is a top priority for UNC football.

McAdoo’s violation — the specifics of which have not yet been disclosed — underscores a larger trend that has plagued collegiate athletics in recent decades. And this punishment is exactly what this program needs to move forward.

The football team could have used McAdoo next season. So many defensive players were lost to graduation and the NFL draft that McAdoo’s presence on the field will be missed.

McAdoo’s violation is not only frustrating for UNC’s football team, but also for the image of student athletes at our University.

We know most student athletes at UNC follow the rules and represent our school well. But McAdoo’s dismissal is a reminder that a few exceptions can disrupt the efforts as well as the perception of the whole.

Davis has done well to uphold the integrity of UNC football and athletics in general by acting swiftly and appropriately.

Despite the disappointment of losing McAdoo’s athletic talents, Davis’ dismissal of McAdoo is an illustration of strong leadership in a time when accountability is needed most.