Penn State, Illinois at odds over players

CHICAGO - There's an obvious friction between new coaching staffs at Penn State and Illinois that likely will spill over to the playing field for years to come.

Penn State's football program is in tatters after the school was hit with NCAA sanctions Monday. Any Penn State player is allowed to leave and immediately play for another school, including Big Ten competitors. Illinois took advantage by sending several assistant coaches to State College, Pa., on Wednesday.

Illinois coach Tim Beckman said his coaches were not on campus.

"We were in State College, but we did not go on campus," Beckman said Thursday at Big Ten Media Days. "We went to two establishments outside campus and called some individuals and if they wanted to come by, it was their opportunity to come by."

Schools are only required to notify Penn State officials about interest in players, which Beckman said the program did. Penn State does not have to grant permission for schools to talk with their players.

"We're just following the rules of the NCAA," Beckman said. "We provided Penn State with the names of the people that -- prior to us even going there. Our compliance coordinator, Ryan Squire, and Mike Thomas, our athletic director gave him a list of people that -- so that they were aware of, before we got there, of who those individuals might be."

Beckman said he spoke with Penn State coach Bill O'Brien on Thursday about the situation "but not in depth." When asked if he had spoken with Beckman, O'Brien retorted, "No."

"I can tell you the rules are what they are and guys are - it's like NFL free agency without the rules," O'Brien said. "So they can do what they want as long as they tell our compliance office that they're contacting these kids, and it is what it is."

The Leaders Division schools meet Sept. 29 in the Big Ten opener at Champaign, Ill.