The inevitable raiding of Penn State players has begun. A day after the NCAA crippled the program with unprecedented punishment for a coverup of former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky child rape binge, it was reported that USC has made a pitch to extract Littany Lions running back Silas Redd from Happy Valley.
As part of the sanctions, players are free to transfer where they see fit without having to sit out a season. The idea by the NCAA was the harshly punish the school but not the players that had no involvement in Sandusky’s reign of sexual offenses or the coverup.
The NCAA hit Penn State with a $60 million sanction, a four-year football postseason ban and forced the program to vacate all wins dating to 1998. Penn State players are free to transfer without having to sit out. Redd is being told by coaches at various programs that he can play right away. Interested schools, however, must notify Penn State first per NCAA rules.
Redd has met with first-year Penn State coach Bill O’Brien, who sources say has stressed to players that they can still play games and still appear on national television. He pointed out how important it is for them to stick together as a team in the face of the crippling sanctions.
Some players have concerns about if their teammates will leave and the Nittany Lions’ ability to continue to field a winning team, one source said.
Redd, a 5-foot-10, 209-pound junior, was Penn State’s most potent weapon. He ran for 1,241 yards and seven touchdowns last season. He has two years of eligibility remaining.
Schools interested in Penn State players must e-mail their interested in specific players and then granted permission will be granted an opportunity to contact them.
Another player that likely will be heavily recruited by other schools is senior linebacker Gerald Hodges.
