NCAA, UNC have until July 31 to respond to McAdoo lawsuit

The immediate future of former North Carolina defensive end Michael McAdoo’s lawsuit against the NCAA and the University is unclear, as the defendants have until July 31 to respond to his complaints.

On July 13, Durham Superior Court Judge Orlando Hudson denied McAdoo’s request for preliminary injunction, which would have allowed him to rejoin the UNC football team immediately.

McAdoo is suing the NCAA and the University to regain his football eligibility, after he was declared permanently ineligible last fall.

“We felt like (the injunction) was the most realistic hope we had of Mr. McAdoo rejoining the team this fall,” said Noah Huffstetler, McAdoo’s lawyer.

“The first thing I think we need to do before we decide what our strategy will be is to see precisely what the defendants will say when they respond to our complaint, and which of the allegations we made, if any, they’re going to really contradict,” he said.

McAdoo’s attorneys are working to get his eligibility reinstated, but as far as UNC is concerned the matter has been dropped, Athletic Director Dick Baddour said.

“I don’t know of any recourse… we don’t plan on taking any other action in the McAdoo situation,” Baddour said.

Baddour confirmed that McAdoo has been offered an opportunity to continue with the football team as a student coach, but after the hearing Huffstetler said the opportunity was not one that had been emphasized.

Stephanie Brennan, the University’s lawyer, declined to comment on the current status of the lawsuit.

At the July 13 hearing, Brennan said the University is caught in the middle of the dispute but noted that, as a member of the NCAA, it must respect the organization’s decision.

“The University has said and continues to believe that the penalty that was imposed was too harsh,” she said. “However, the University lost; the NCAA denied our appeal.”

NCAA officials did not return calls for comment.

At the hearing, NCAA lawyer Paul Sun said the organization is clear on its position.

“It just comes down to cheating. And that is what happened here,” Sun said.

“What Mr. McAdoo is asking for is the right to play football at the University of North Carolina this season. That is not a legally protected right.”

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