Ferentz goes silent on Penn State situation

IOWA CITY -- First question at Kirk Ferentz's news conference Tuesday was about Penn State.

The Iowa coach sidestepped it. No one locked into the college football world knows what statement to make about Joe Paterno and Penn State after the child molestation scandal sent the program up in flames last weekend.

The question is relevant because of Ferentz's ties to Pennsylvania.

Ferentz grew up in Upper St. Clair, Pa., a Pittsburgh suburb. He thought about walking on at Penn State to try to play for Paterno (he walked talked out of it by his high school coach Joe Moore). He grew up watching "The Penn State Football Story," the coach's football show. He has three family members play football at PSU.

Here's a sample of what Ferentz has said about PSU coach Joe Paterno in the past (this is from a 2003 story about Paterno feeling heat in Happy Valley): ”If you can (plan your exit as a coach), then you're lucky,” Ferentz said. “If you can leave on your own terms, it's a great, great thing.

“If anybody in this game deserves that, it's coach Paterno. Not only for what he has meant to this sport, but what he's meant to intercollegiate athletics and Penn State University. Growing up in that part of the country, I'm well aware of that. He's been a giant figure in all of sports, not just collegiate sports.”

Tuesday, this was it: “I've really been more focused on what we're doing here, getting through the weekend and turning our sights to Michigan State. That's where my thoughts have been.

“The only thing I can really say is what can anyone say right now.”

In an interview with KCRG-TV9's John Campbell, Ferentz said, "We'll just kind of let the dust settle and go from there. Time will tell. Again, I really don't know enough about it at this point, but it's not a good situation, I know that."

Campbell asked if a coach can know everything that's going on around his program.

"Probably not realistic," he said. "That I can answer. There are things that are going to happen, but then what happens after that . . . History will unfold on this thing."