Anwar Phillips has returned to practice with the Penn State football team following his acquittal on sexual assault and aggravated indecent assault charges last Tuesday.

"I don't see any reason not to have him on the team and see what he can do," Penn State football coach Joe Paterno said on his weekly radio show last Thursday. "I'd like to put this behind everyone, but I don't know if that's possible."

Phillips, who has been absent from the football team since playing in its Jan. 1 Capital One Bowl loss to Auburn, was inactive for Saturday's game against Temple.

NCAA rules stipulate an athlete must practice for five days before being eligible for competition, meaning Phillips should be able to play against Boston College this Saturday.

Phillips' high school football coach Randy Trivers was quoted in a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article last Thursday saying the defensive back returned to practice on Aug. 26 after a jury of 10 women and two men returned the "not guilty" verdict.

The charges stemmed from an incident in which a female Penn State student, who has since transferred from the university, alleged Phillips came to her dormitory room in the early morning hours of Nov. 12 and forcibly engaged in sexual intercourse with her.

In his trial testimony, Phillips admitted to having sex with the woman, but said he thought it was consensual.

As a result of the November incident, Phillips went before the Office of Judicial Affairs and "accepted responsibility" for violating the Student Code of Conduct on Dec. 12.

His punishment was a two-semester temporary expulsion, which began with the start of the Spring 2003 semester and was to last until the conclusion of the second six-week summer session.

It was the semantics of when the temporary expulsion began that originally drew criticism. Paterno and the athletic staff said they had no knowledge of the pending charges when they allowed Phillips to play in three games following the incident.

"Obviously we were pleased with the way things worked out," Paterno said Thursday. "I'm unhappy it had to come to that. I've tried to stay out of it completely."

Student leaders around campus had similar reactions, saying that a person found not guilty in the legal system should be treated as such.

Sara Ryan, the co-president of Allies, an alliance of gay and heterosexual students at Penn State, said she had confidence in the criminal court's decision.

"If he was acquitted, I think it was fair," Ryan said. "Sexual assault is a huge and serious issue and cannot be taken lightly, even if it's related to an athlete at Penn State, but if he was acquitted, I think it's fair."

Undergraduate Student Government President Ian Rosenberger also said he trusts the system and the decision to reinstate Phillips was solely Paterno's responsibility.

"To tell you the truth, I really can't give you an opinion on the actual [court] decision," he said. "The jury made its decision and we have to trust the fact that the system works."

Toby Eberhart, the chairman of Young Americans for Freedom, also spoke about having faith in the courts.

"Personally, I think that the judicial system in any form, whether it be guilty or innocent, is certainly the perfect theoretical system ... and I do have faith in the system," he said. "Why should an innocent person not be on the football team?"

It's not immediately evident what role Phillips will play in a crowded defensive backfield when he does return to game action.

As a redshirt freshman, he played in all 13 of the team's games last season and started twice while playing primarily as a nickel back. From the defensive backfield, Phillips snared two interceptions, recovered a fumble and recorded 20 tackles.