Penn State defensive tackle Jared Odrick was charged with disorderly conduct March 11, after police say he fought with three Penn State students and another college-aged man on South Atherton Street.
Odrick, a 21-year-old junior, punched one of the individuals during an early morning confrontation on Feb. 28, police said.
There is no indication the charges have affected Odrick's status with the team, Jeff Nelson, sports information director, wrote in an e-mail. Nelson did not offer further comment.
Odrick had been drinking, according to the citation, and it is believed alcohol was a factor in the incident, police said.
Police say two male students, a female student and another man in his early 20s encountered Odrick at about 1:40 a.m. Feb. 28 as they were walking on the 100 block of South Atherton Street, joking between themselves.
Police say the group told them Odrick turned his attention to them. Words were exchanged and a shoving match ensued, police said.
The 6-foot-5-inch Odrick reportedly punched one of the individuals in the group during the scuffle, police said.
After the fight, police say members of the group found Odrick's photograph on the Internet, identified him as the man they had encountered and contacted police.
Police later questioned Odrick, who referred them to his attorney, police said.
After a March 6 interview with Odrick's attorney -- whose name police would not release -- officers believed they had enough evidence to support a summary disorderly conduct charge, police said.
"Innocent until proven guilty," said Bill Giovino, Odrick's former coach at Lebanon High School, when reached Tuesday. "That's all I'll say about that."
Odrick saw significant playing time during Penn State's run to the Rose Bowl this year. Though a dislocated ankle ended Odrick's sophomore season after eight games, he returned to the Lions last fall as one of the anchors of the defense.
Recording 41 tackles and four sacks, the 300-pound Odrick was named first-team All-Big Ten by the conference's coaches.
Though a number of Penn State football players have had recent legal problems, Odrick's charges come after a period of a relatively football-free police blotter.
The last highly publicized incident was in September, when police said they found a small amount of marijuana in the apartment of Odrick's linemates Abe Koroma and Maurice Evans.
Koroma and Evans were placed in an accelerated rehabilitative disposition program in February.
Police said it appears Odrick was walking by himself when he encountered the four individuals, and there is no indication of a history between he and the group.
Odrick was fined $430, according to citation.
The phone number provided for Odrick in the citation went directly to an automated message saying the number was "unreachable."
