CB Brown must sit in UNC’s opener

Brown

UNC

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — North Carolina cornerback Charles Brown must sit out the opener against James Madison and repay benefits to become eligible again.

The NCAA ruled that Brown accepted benefits of $86.94 from someone identified as a prospective agent before last season.

The NCAA looked into agent-related benefits and academic misconduct, causing 14 players to miss at least one game. Brown and seven others missed the entire season, though the school didn’t specify why Brown was out.

North Carolina opens spring practice next week.

The school also said defensive end Linwan Euwell has left school and won’t return next year, while receiver Joshua Adams is being treated for an auto-immune disorder affecting his kidneys.

Adams’ status for the fall will be updated this summer.

Also, Gary Wichard, the longtime NFL player agent who was suspended last year for his role in a recruiting scandal at North Carolina, died Friday. He was 60. He died at his home in Westlake Village, Calif., from diabetes and pancreatic cancer, the public relations firm Rogers & Cowan said.