Morning Six Pack: July 24, 2012

Cool coffee or warm beer? It’s a tough choice, isn’t it? At least it’s easy to check out these six college football stories from around the country.

Media picks Florida State, Virginia Tech to make ACC title game

It seems no matter the year, Florida State and Virginia Tech will be favorites to compete for the ACC championship. 2012, you’re lacking some originality here.

Notre Dame Quarterback Rees Is Sentenced

Notre Dame quarterback Tommy Rees will perform 50 hours of community service after pleading guilty to resisting law enforcement and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor.

Al Golden: “Back off.”

"What we do need is that we need to get everybody away from our program and let us go to work, because we don't need help," Golden said. "Let the coaches and the players sell the program, and everybody else stay away. We don't need help."

And so it begins…

Mass exodus could be on the horizon for the Nittany Lions. Silas Redd, arguably the best running back in the Big Ten not named Montee Ball, could be on his way out of Penn State.

Michigan DE Frank Clark suspended while facing home-invasion charge

Michigan coach Brady Hoke issued the following statement: "We are aware of the case regarding football student-athlete Frank Clark. This is a serious accusation and we will follow the lead of the judicial system. Frank was and will continue to be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation."

Quotable:

No one is defending Jerry Sandusky, or the overheated football environment that exists at some schools - most SEC schools, including Alabama - or the official reaction at Penn State. There is a criminal at the heart of this story, and he has been dealt with as a criminal should be. There may be more criminal action to come. But the individuals who will bear most of Monday's burden - players, coaches, fans - weren't criminals. They were decent people, I suspect, and might have come up with a decent response on their own. And it is not about football.

It might have been a glorious moment if Penn State's president and board of trustees had taken measures like those imposed Monday - or done even more, suspending football entirely - but without the push from the NCAA. Perhaps they couldn't do it on their own, but if so, what does that portend for the future at Penn State, regardless of the NCAA?

So the NCAA has chosen to hit Penn State in the ego, and in the wallet. Perhaps there was nothing else it could do. But it might have been better to trust to Penn State's conscience, because that is where real change, meaningful change, and real respect for the victims will have to come from. Could Penn State have done that? Maybe. Maybe not. But now we will never know.

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