UNC receiver Dwight Jones reinstated for bowl game : News-Record.com : Greensboro & the Triad's most trusted source for local news and analysis

CHAPEL HILL — North Carolina wide receiver Dwight Jones will get to play in the Independence Bowl after all.

Jones, a 6-foot-4 senior from Burlington who starred at Cummings High School, has been reinstated by the NCAA and is eligible to play in Carolina's game against Missouri on Monday in Shreveport, La.

Jones had been ruled ineligible for allowing his name and photo to be used on fliers and posters advertising a party in Burlington. NCAA rules prohibit athletes from allowing their name or likeness to be used to promote a for-profit entity.

In a news release from UNC, Jones apologized for committing what's considered a secondary violation of NCAA rules. Carolina self-reported the violation, declared Jones ineligible, then applied for reinstatement.

The school's compliance office also sent a cease-and-desist letter to the party promoters. The party has been cancelled.

Jones led the ACC with 79 catches and 11 receiving TDs this season. His 1,119 receiving yards ranked third in the league behind Wake Forest's Chris Givens (1,276) and Clemson's Sammy Watkins (1,153).

Jones is a vital part of Carolina's offense, and his statistics are better than the combined numbers of all the rest of the Tar Heels wide receivers. Carolina's top two wide receivers after Jones -- Erik Highsmith and Jay Boyd -- combined for 54 catches, 846 yards and 8 TDs.

rooster8786

December 21, 2011 - 3:24 pm EST

oops, my bad. can I puhleeze play one more game, before I sign with an agent, even though I've been talking with agents for weeks?

arnie

December 21, 2011 - 4:17 pm EST

Carolina keeping in tradition with its criminal past. I bet their team bus is a police paddy wagon! With a tutor!

capricorn7nc

December 21, 2011 - 5:13 pm EST

I don't understand what the big deal is. He is about to graduate, he is going to be a 1st or 2nd round pick, and he is going to the NFL. He is just going to postpone this party that was in his hometown until after the bowl game when it really won't matter. The NCAA needs to get a life, because they make billions off of the athletes, expect them to survive off of tuition scholarships and no income, and think that they should stop the students from making any of the money the schools are already making off of them.

dusenberry

December 21, 2011 - 7:35 pm EST

Poor kids, they can leave anytime they won't to.

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