Some football players may have been in a fight over the weekend, Joe Paterno said yesterday at his weekly press conference, shedding light on another off-the-field issue for the Penn State football team this season.
"I've been alerted that there might've been a couple football players involved in a fight," Paterno said. "To what extent, to what degree, what happened, I'm not quite sure yet. Until I find out what's going on, I think I might be better off not getting into that."
Shift supervisors for both Penn State University and State College police said last night they were not aware of investigations into any fight involving Penn State football players.
In addition to the possible fight, senior tailback Austin Scott was kicked off the team after violating an undisclosed team rule this weekend, his mother told The Daily Collegian.
However, Scott was listed third on a depth chart for Saturday's game against Wisconsin.
Paterno said Scott will not play this week but would not clarify his status on the team. Also this weekend, backup tailback Joe Suhey and backup punter Ryan Breen became the third and fourth Nittany Lions cited for underage drinking this season. Starting tight end Andrew Quarless and reserve defensive back Willie Harriott were also cited for underage drinking in August.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with the program," Paterno said. "We got a bunch of great kids. And 80, 85, 90 percent of them will graduate and 85, 90 percent of them are great people. I don't have any problem with that. Again, I go back to the fact that you guys [the media] are trying to create a problem that I don't believe we have. Period."
The Penn State football team's 83 percent graduation rate is the seventh-highest among the nation's 119 Football Bowl Subdivision teams and first in the Big Ten, according to a 2006 NCAA graduation report.
This weekend's off-the-field happenings are not far behind other recent negative publicity for the program. Six players were arrested on felony charges stemming from a downtown fight in April. Starting safety Anthony Scirrotto and defensive tackle Chris Baker still face felony criminal trespass and summary harassment charges; charges were dropped against the four other players.
"People are starting to get that you can't really get away with much up here as an athlete," said senior captain Dan Connor, adding that there's high scrutiny but, ultimately, each player is responsible for his actions.
"It's going to be one of those things out of the newspaper. That's what's going to keep you distracted," Connor said. "We've been under enough ridicule by the press that we know not to read the papers, because it's just going to bring us down."
At his press conference, Paterno tried to shift the discussion away from the off-the-field distractions. He defended the players' work ethic and character and tried to spur discussion about Saturday's game.
"Can we talk about Wisconsin?" he asked. "We're fine. Let me handle the football team. As soon as I know enough to make some decisions I'll make them and that'll be it."
Collegian Staff Writer Kevin Horan contributed to this report.
