Penn State football players react to sanctions
The NCAA took the sanction sledgehammer to Penn State on Monday morning: A four-year postseason ban. Forty scholarships axed over four years. Five years of probation. Not to mention a $60 million fine and the loss of all coach Joe Paterno's victories from 1998-2011, in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.
Now some current and former players are reacting on social media with a mix of shock, sadness and defiance.
Former Penn state quarterback and 2009 Big Ten Offensive Player of the Year Daryll Clark tweeted:
Former Penn State cornerback Adam Taliaferro expressed anger over the penalties, tweeting:
Some former players seemed stunned that every win from 1998-2011 had been stripped away. Said Penn State's all-time leading rusher and current Washington Redskin Evan Royster:
Former Penn State defensive lineman Tom Golarz had this to say: "So I went 0-53 in college? My big ten championship rings say different."
It remains to be seen how some current Penn State players and recruits will respond to the sanctions. NCAA president Mark Emmert said that they would immediately be allowed to transfer without sitting out a year. One coach told CBSSports.com last week that Penn State recruits were already calling him trying to gauge interest in their talents.
Some current players also took to social media to voice support for the beleaguered program.
Senior cornerback Stephon Morris tweeted: "I'm not going anywhere We Are Penn State forever. That's final!! Love this University, more important I bleed Blue & White!!"Tackle Nate Cadogan tweeted: "Psu vs the world!!! Day 1."
Senior linebacker Kyle Lucas summed up his feelings on Twitter with one word: "Wow."