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Word broke last night that Sports Illustrated would be publishing a piece that was highly critical the lingering sports culture at Penn State in general and the medical care given to student-athletes specifically.

The university responded swiftly, releasing a statement that called the SI report “erroneous” and is essentially an attempt to “sensationalize” a non-issue.  Wednesday afternoon, PSU’s defense of its medical procedures ramped up another notch or two.

Appearing on ESPN‘s “College Football Live” program, head coach Bill O’Brien lashed out at the report, which is not available in full online but a summary can be viewed by clicking HERE.  O’Brien stated that he’s heard from a handful of current and former Nittany Lion football players who would like to know what they can do “to get in front of this” apparently scathing six-page report.

“We here at Penn State would never jeopardize the health and safety of our players. We don’t have any horse in that race,” O’Brien said in quotes provided by PennLive.com. “It’s very upsetting to me that the word out there is that we don’t have proper care for our student-athletes.”

O’Brien added that “the only thing that matters to me” is the safety of his players.

The SI report was particularly critical of the fact that O’Brien made suggestions regarding the medical care of his players, including parting ways with long-time team doctor Wayne Sebastianelli.  O’Brien stated that he merely made the recommendation; it was up to his superiors to make the final call on a change in medical personnel.

“At the end of the year, I met with [athletic director Dave] Joyner and Rod Erickson about a lot of improvements that needed to be made,” O’Brien said. “My recommendation was to move in another direction with the doctors on this team. I don’t do the hiring and firing. That’s for the people above me.”

In addition to O’Brien’s television appearance, Penn State also issued a series of new statements questioning the credibility of the piece.  The one below comes from Dr. Harold Paz, senior vice president for Health Affairs, Chief Executive Officer, Penn State Hershey Medical Center and dean of the College of Medicine:

“The article suggests that the quality of care provided to Penn State student athletes has been jeopardized by a change in team physicians. It simply isn’t the case. Drs. Seidenberg and Lynch, the physicians now responsible for the day-to-day care of Penn State football players are both experienced clinicians, fellowship-trained in Sports Medicine and committed to providing expert medical care to our students athletes.

“Any suggestion that care is being compromised by the change in physician assignments is both unsubstantiated and incorrect.

“The article further suggests that Dr. Sebastianelli is no longer playing a role in supporting the University’s athletic teams. In fact, as Director of Athletic Medicine, Dr. Sebastianelli remains the doctor in charge of the University’s entire medical program for intercollegiate athletics.”

A general statement released by the university begins by claiming that “[t]he article fundamentally distorts the facts,” including the very premise of the article.

“There has been no change in the model of medical care for our student athletes. The allegations on why the change in team physician was made is ludicrous. Worst of all, the article ignores the fact that Dr. Sebastianelli remains the doctor in charge of the University’s entire medical program for intercollegiate athletics, including football. In addition, the university athletic trainer reported directly to Dr. Sebastianelli, who supervised the trainer’s work. A review shows Penn State’s medical coverage is on par with, or exceeds, peer institutions.”

To show just how their medical coverage compares to other institutions, Penn State sent out yet another press release titled “Football Physician In-Season Coverage” in which the medical coverage of other major FBS football programs is compared to the system in place at Penn State:

Penn State
- Primary care physician attends all practices and games. On Sunday, examines every player who played in the game previous day and any others in need of attention.
- Orthopedic physician attends at least one practice each week (Wed.) and all games. Available post-practice Monday, Tuesday and Thursday if necessary. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

Iowa
- Primary care physician is available to attend practice and see players post-practice Monday-Friday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.
- Orthopedic physician is available post-practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

LSU
- Primary care physician available post-practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.
- Orthopedic physician available post-practice Tuesday and Wednesday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

Michigan State
- Primary care physician is available to attend practice and see players post-practice Monday-Friday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.
- Orthopedic physician is available post-practice Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

Northwestern
- Primary care physician is available to attend practice and see players post-practice Monday-Friday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.
- Orthopedic physician is available post-practice once or twice a week. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

Nebraska
- Primary care physician is available to attend practice and see players post-practice Monday-Friday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.
- Orthopedic physician is available post-practice Tuesday and Wednesday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players.

Ohio State
- A primary care physician is available to see players early a.m. Monday-Friday and post-practice on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. On Sunday, the physician is available to examine all players. Attends all games.
- An Orthopedic physician is available to see players post-practice on Tuesday and Wednesday. On Sunday, is available to examine all players. Attends all games.
- At least one of the three team physicians attends practice or a part of practice every day and sees players at the conclusion of each practice as needed for new injuries or follow-up care.

Still a little over a year away from officially joining the Big Ten, Rutgers has already plowed some athletic department territory rarely before seen in the history of the conference.

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Rutgers announced that it has hired Julie Hermann as the university’s new athletic director, ending a search that had stretched nearly six weeks.  Hermann comes to the Scarlet Knights from Louisville, where she served as the Cardinals’ executive senior associate athletic director.  She had been at the U of L for the past 15 years.

Hermann will become the second-ever female athletic director in the Big Ten (Michigan State’s Merrily Dean Baker) when the Scarlet Knights move their athletic programs from the Big East next July.

“It’s a pleasure to welcome Julie Hermann to the Rutgers community,” said president Robert L. Barchi. “She is one of the most respected athletics administrators in the country and she was deeply involved in moving Louisville from Conference USA to the Big East and from the Big East to the Atlantic Coast Conference. Her 15 years of leadership experience will be an invaluable asset to the university as we prepare to enter the Big Ten.”

The Hermann hiring culminates a tumultuous few months for the university in general and the athletic department specifically.

In April, popular and highly-successful RU athletic director Tim Pernetti resigned his post thanks in large part to the public backlash over his handling of the Mike Rice situation.  Hermann will now be charged with cleaning up the mess left by her predecessor — and enjoy the fruits of his labor as well.

“Rutgers is poised to soar,” said Hermann. “With a world-class faculty and academic reputation, a strategic location and the power and reach of the Big Ten, the university is positioned to create a best-in-class experience for every student who accepts the challenge to learn and compete at Rutgers.”

Not only will Hermann become the second athletic director of the female persuasion in Big Ten history, she also joins a rather exclusive club at the FBS level.  Of the 124 schools that played FBS football in 2012, just five of them had females in charge of their athletic departments; just two of those female athletic directors — Maryland’s Debbie Yow, Cal’s Sandy Barbour — were from so-called automatic qualifying conferences.

It should also be noted that Georgia State will be transitioning to the FBS level, and their athletic department is headed by Cheryl Levick.

All told, there are 26 female athletic directors at the 300-member-plus Div-I level, including 10 at FCS schools.  Below is a brief look at the five female FBS athletic directors (Texas has separate athletic directors for men’s and women’s sports) and whose company Hermann will join:

Sandy Barbour, Cal
Per her bio on the school’s official website, Cal has claimed 17 team national titles and another 81 individual crowns since Barbour assumed control of the athletic department in 2004.  Two major facility upgrades have taken place on Barbour’s watch: the 142,000-square-foot Simpson Center for Student-Athlete High Performance and a massive renovation of Memorial Stadium.  She also performed a massive renovation on the stadium’s tenant by firing longtime head football coach Jeff Tedford following the 2012 season.

Cary Groth, Nevada
One of the first-ever female athletic directors when hired by her alma mater Northern Illinois in 1994, Groth has been with the Wolf Pack since March of 2004.  Groth’s greatest success at Nevada was the move from the WAC to the Mountain West.  She retired in April of this year after more than 30 years working in collegiate athletics.

Debbie Yow, North Carolina State
One of the most respected athletic directors of any gender by those in athletics, Yow has been at NCSU since 2010 after leaving the same job at Maryland after 16 years.  Yow has served as president of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics and the national Division I-A Athletic Directors Association, and is a member of the National Football Foundation board of directors.  The most significant move of her three-year tenure was the firing of Tom O’Brien as head football coach and hiring Dave Doeren away from Northern Illinois.

Lynn Hickey, UT-San Antonio
Hickey has been at UTSA since 2000, adding three sports program to the athletic department roll during that time.  Her most notable achievement, however, was moving the Roadrunners to the WAC in 2012 and then, with that conference folding football-wise, jumping to Conference USA beginning this season.

Kathy Beauregard, Western Michigan
The longest-serving athletic director in the MAC, Beauregard will be entering her 17th year in that post and her 33rd overall at the school.  Facility upgrades have been the hallmark of her long tenure at the university.

Yes, it’s a punter, but behold the bro-tastic photo we get to use!

On his Twitter account Wednesday afternoon, Tim Gleeson announced “that the University of Tennessee will be where I’m heading!”  It was announced back in early April that Gleeson would be leaving Wyoming after one year with the football program.

“A rich history with a football program on the rise #govols,” Gleeson added in his introductory tweet.

The Vols have yet to confirm the addition of Gleeson, who would likely have to sit out the 2013 season to satisfy NCAA transfer rules.

Coming to the Cowboys by way of Australia, Gleeson averaged just under 43 yards per punt (42.95) in 2012.  That total was good for fourth in the Mountain West and 27th nationally as Gleeson earned an honorable mention All-Mountain West nod.

At the time of his departure from the Cowboys, head coach Dave Christensen stated that Gleeson was “going to go home for personal reasons to Australia,” adding that “[h]e’s had some personal issues and its best for him to go back home and take care of those things.”

(Photo credit: Wyoming athletics)

AP

This one will leave a mark.

In a very brief press release late Wednesday morning, TCU announced that defensive end Devonte Fields has been suspended for the first two games of the 2013 season.  The reason?  ”Violation of university and team policy” the release stated.

There was no comment from head coach Gary Patterson on his decision attached to the release, and no details on what led to the suspension were divulged.

Due to the suspension, Fields will miss the season opener against LSU in Arlington Aug. 31.  He’ll also miss the Sept. 7 home opener against Southeastern Louisiana.

Suffice to say, Fields’ absence, especially against the run-heavy Bayou Bengals, is a significant blow.  In 2012, Fields was named by the coaches as the Big 12′s Freshman Defensive Player of the Year while the Associated Press selected him as the conference’s Defensive Player of the Year.

Fields started all 13 games last season, leading the Horned Frogs in tackles for loss (18.5) and sacks (10).  He was first in the Big 12 at 1.42 tackles for loss per game and third in the league with 0.77 sacks per game

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Some links from around college football on a Wednesday…

• Backup Oregon State defensive tackle Blake Harrah will hang up the cleats for medical reasons.
• Andy Staples of Sports Illustrated looks at what a selection committee would have faced over the last 10 years.
• Miami coach Al Golden is eager to get the NCAA case behind him. Aren’t we all?
• The Big Ten is close to releasing its 2014 schedule.
• Arizona State is still fightin’ that fight with Notre Dame over the 2014 game in Tempe.
• The Charleston Gazette writes that WVU’s athletic debt is not as bad as previously thought.
• Northwestern is tearing it up on the recruiting trail.
• This time, Nick Saban was asked about Charlie Weis‘ support for Bob Stoops‘ SEC comments. This is the offseason, you guys!

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Next up? Apparently, a height-challenged Antichrist, replete with slicked-back hair and pasted-on smile, trotting out a future Alabama recruiting class, all of ‘em holding up Alabama jerseys with the number “666″ emblazoned with sacrificial goat’s blood.

For those who don’t recall, Vanderbilt head coach and serial pot-stirrer James Franklin grabbed a few headlines for his Commodores program in late January by referring to Nick Saban as “Nicky Satan” during an appearance at a Georgia high school’s fall sports banquet.  A few months later, another SEC coach has referenced the Prince of Darkness when talking about the four-time BCS-title-winning Tide head coach.

During an appearance in Melbourne — Florida, not Australia — Tuesday night, Florida offensive line coach Tim Davis addressed his former boss Saban.  And by “addressed,” we mean “took the kind of shots coaches take when in the company of boosters/supporters/fans of your football program,” especially when you’re attempting to pump up your current boss.

“[UF head coach] Will [Muschamp] and I go back to the Miami Dolphins,” Davis said, referring to their time with the NFL club under Saban. “I’ve always wanted to work with Will. Will’s got a plan. Will coached under the devil himself for seven years. I only did three. He did seven. And his DNA is not any different than Nick.”

One, that would mean Will Muschamp, Davis’ current boss, shares Lucifer’s DNA.  Two, working under NFL Saban was akin to serving prison time.  Three?  Personality, or lack thereof, is most certainly fair game when boosters/supporters/fans of your football program are in the audience.

“”[Muschamp's] like the other guy, only he’s got a personality,” the Gator assistant said. “He’ll smile at you. He’ll talk to you. You understand? That’s what he’s all about. That’s Will. I’m proud to work for him.”

Certainly fair points, personality-wise.  Saban may not smile at you, and even if he does it’ll come off as awkward and forced.  He may not even talk to you.

What he will do is win three BCS championships in four years.  He will own four BCS title rings from two different SEC schools.  He will, even with a “lack of a personality,” run laps around you… and you… and you on the recruiting trail.  He will enter the 2013 season a heavy favorite to go back-to-back-to-back.

He would also likely awkwardly smirk at his former assistant’s bravado if/when he hears the comments, then get back to building upon the most dominant program major college football has seen in nearly two decades.

(Tip O’ the Cap: al.com)

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ESPN’s Brett McMurphy reported yesterday that the Russell Athletic Bowl was likely to move up and pick the next available ACC team after the Orange Bowl beginning in 2014 — the same year as the first College Football Playoff.

Expect the Big 12′s bowl lineup — and other conferences’ as well — to be modified in the not-too-distant future too. Chuck Carlton of the Dallas Morning News reports that the Alamo Bowl could pick the next available Big 12 team after the Sugar Bowl since the Cotton Bowl will be part of CFP’s six semifinal site rotation. From the story:

While nothing is finalized, multiple industry sources contacted Monday indicated some key details are coming into focus. Among them:

The Alamo Bowl is the front-runner to replace the College Football Playoff-bound Cotton Bowl for the Big 12’s top team not in the playoff or the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

The Alamo Bowl has been slotted just below the Cotton Bowl and offers a solid management reputation as well as appeal as a three-day destination center.

A final plan should be close to completed, if it’s not completed, by the end of this month at Big 12 spring meetings.

Additionally, though not surprisingly, expect the Big 12 to trade the Holiday Bowl — the Big Ten should take the Big 12′s spot — for the Russell Athletic Bowl against the ACC. Also, the Liberty Bowl could become part of the Big 12′s yearly rotation with the conference getting out of the Pinstripe Bowl.

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The Penn State football program is still under a media microscope, it would appear. In preemptive response to a Sports Illustrated article about the football program’s medical care program that will reportedly be released Wednesday, Penn State has issued a statement.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports the piece will be titled “Do Athletics Still Have Too Much Power at Penn State?” It was not available online Tuesday night, but, as one would imagine, it apparently doesn’t paint a particularly fond picture. Details of what’s in the article are scarce at this time.

Anyway, here’s the statement from PSU:

“To characterize the medical care Penn State provides our student-athletes as anything other than the highest quality is erroneous. Access to urgent and quality are for our athletes is no less than where it was at any point in the past 20 years.

“We provided Sports Illustrated with facts and data that demonstrate our commitment to our student athletes and how we compare to other peer institutions. Instead, the article sensationalizes in order to insinuate lower standards and largely ignores statements from the dean of the College of Medicine.”

Additionally, PSU athletic director Dave Joyner called some statements in the SI story “baseless accusations.”

Penn State recently made changes to its medical staff that included longtime team orthopedic surgeon and physician Dr. Wayne Sebastianelli stepping down from those positions.

“From a coverage standpoint, we have exactly the same level of medical care as we had previously,” Nittany Lions coach Bill O’Brien said in a statement to SI, which was obtained by the Centre Daily Times. “The same surgeons as last year are available to players who would need that level of attention. Nothing about our level or quality of athlete care has changed.”

Hard to tell what all this means right now, but it sounds as though we’ll find out soon enough.

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Yes, modest And their words, not mine.

In a piece title “The Magic Of Nick Saban: Everyone Wants To Go To Alabama” Forbes writer Tom Van Riper argues that Saban is more a recruiter of overall academic success than just a recruiter of athletes. At just under $5.5 million a year, it’s hard to consider Saban’s salary “modest”, but Van Riper tries anyway:

But the money flowing directly from Bryant-Denny Stadium is just the start. If you think that a top college football coach earning seven figures is overpaid, think again. To appreciate just how modest Saban’s $5.3 million salary is, take a wider look around campus. Since 2007, Tuscaloosa has swelled its undergraduate ranks by 33% to over 28,000 students. Faculty count has kept pace: up 400 since 2007 to over 1,700. But it’s more than growth – it’s where the growth is coming from. According to the school, less than a third of the 2007 freshman class of 4,538 students hailed from out of state. By the fall of 2012, more than half (52%) of a freshman class of 6,397 students did. Various data from US News and the New York Times shows that the school’s out-of-state tuition cost – nearly three times higher than the rate for in-state students – rose from $18,000 to $22,950 a year during that period.

Add it all up – more students from outside Alabama paying ever-increasing premium tuition bills – and the school realized $50 million more in out-of-state tuition revenue for last fall’s incoming class than it did for the same class in 2007 ($76 million vs. $26 million). Kick in the additional $8.5 million in in-state tuition, which rose to $9,200 a year from $6,400 over the same period, and overall tuition revenue rose to $104 million from $46 million for the respective 2012 and 2007 freshman classes. And to boot, the school’s most recent capital campaign (i.e. donations from alumni and others) raised $600 million for scholarships and facilities, the most ever.

There’s more to the piece, but linking Saban to better admissions and higher tuition costs is certainly bold.

Either way, I’d say Saban is being compensated plenty well as it is.

Partnerships in college football aren’t being limited to its new postseason. And if the Mountain West can’t partner up in College Football Playoff, it’s going to at least attempt to figure out another way to latch on to another league.

Speaking to Jeremy Fowler of CBSSports, MWC commissioner Craig Thompson said he has reached out to the Pac-12 about a possible “best practices” connection. Details are few and certainly nothing is final, but the idea would center around an alliance for nonconference scheduling, bowl matchups and the like. Thompson said he thinks the Pac-12 is “receptive” to the idea. The two conferences already share postseason tie-ins with the Las Vegas Bowl and the New Mexico Bowl.

These types of discussions aren’t unprecedented. The Big 12 said earlier this year it was holding conversations with the ACC  and other leagues about a similar partnership; the real difference here is that this would be between a power conference a smaller conference.

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An ACL tear cut short the 2012 season for Louisville running back Senorise Perry. Now, it could affect his start of the 2013 season.

Cardinals coach Charlie Strong said during ACC spring meetings (that’s sort of weird to write) that Perry’s status for the season opener against Ohio is still up in the air.

“It’s so hard to tell,” Strong said. “He went down in November, and for an injury like that it’s almost a full year. We’re going to get out there in camp and not do much with him. Now that Dominique Brown is back, we feel we have a back we’re pretty sure about and a guy who can run the football.”

Recovering from an ACL tear usually takes somewhere in the six to nine-month range. Obviously, he was out for spring practice.

Perry finished second on the team last year with 705 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns.

(Hat tip: ESPN’s Big East blog) 

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Or, the dream of a rap career. Either way, 2013 Michigan State commit Jay Harris (not pictured) is trading his helmet and pads for a microphone.

In an interview with the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harris said his commitment to the Spartans was “halfhearted” and that he’s been more interested in a music career.

“I’ve been thinking about doing this for a couple of years now,” said Harris

Harris, a three-star wide receiver, goes under the name Jay DatBull and his first single, DatBull 4 Life, already has 50,000 views on YouTube. You can view the video HERE. It’s…. something!

But hey, I’m not one to put down someone else’s dream. Go get ‘em, Jay… DatBull.

And besides, do it now before you get on campus and the NCAA revokes your eligibility.

Updated 10:00 p.m. ET: Well, this is an interesting development.

The Philadelphia Inquirer has updated its story from earlier that Michigan State commit Jay Harris chose to chase his musical ambitions over a chance to play for the Spartans.

Turns out, that may not entirely be true. Now the paper states that Harris had his scholarship stripped by MSU after he posted his rap videos on YouTube. A Michigan State spokesman told the paper parting ways with Harris was “a mutual decision.”

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UCLA cornerback Marcus Rios received the news last month that he might have to miss the 2013 season recovering from a rare fungus infection that at the time was supposed to require surgery. Even worse, the infection has a history of being extremely deadly.

Now, for the good news. According to the Los Angeles Times, Rios will not need surgery for the infection, located behind his eye and beneath his brain, and could return for the 2013 season.

The sophomore has had six surgeries already to try to clear out the fungus. He’s currently on medicine, which doctors think can deal with the issue.

Rios played in nine games last season and was expected to see more playing time this year. In any case, it’s just good to hear that there’s been an improvement in his situation.

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As of today, Penn State and Pitt have scheduled four games over the next several years that will officially renew what used to be one of the great rivalries in college football.

More games could be on the way. Speaking to ESPN during the ACC’s spring meetings, Pitt athletic director Steve Pederson said he felt “very optimistic” a series with the Nittany Lions occurring on a regular basis can happen.

“Whether it’s every single year or not, we’ll have to see how it works out,” Pederson said. “My hope is to try to make that work on a regular basis. I do feel like both sides would like to have it happen. I’m very optimistic.”

Penn State AD Dave Joyner echoed that sentiment during Big Ten meetings.

“We’d be interested in talking about that. It’s a great series,” Joyner said. “It’s been a great linchpin in Pennsylvania for everyone there. Steve and I will definitely talk about doing that. We’ve always threatened to meet halfway on the turnpike somewhere at one exit.”

The Panthers and Nittany Lions have played 96 times since 1893, including annual series from 1900-31, 1935-92 and 1997-2000. The teams are slated to play in a pair of home-and-homes from 2016-19.

Scheduling, as we say so many times on here, is a puzzle that can be difficult to put together. But if the two sides can make it work, we’d love to see them play as often as possible. However, it appears another dormant Pitt rivalry, the Backyard Brawl with West Virginia, has little signs of future life.

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Vanderbilt head coach James Franklin announced last week that redshirt sophomore defensive back Jacquese Kirk would be transferring from the program after violating team rules. At the time, Franklin didn’t specify what Kirk did to land in himself into trouble.

Perhaps this had something to do with it: the Nashville Tennesseean reports citing a Metro Police report that Kirk admitted to stabbing ex-Commodores lineman Justin Cabbagestalk with a pocket knife during a bar fight on April 7. According to the report, Cabbagestalk and Kirk got into an altercation when Kirk noticed Cabbagestalk making, ahem, “hand motions” at him. The two got into a fight at which point Kirk allegedly pulled out his pocket knife and stabbed Cabbagestalk. Amazingly, Cabbagestalk said he didn’t realize he had been stabbed until about 10 minutes later.

Kirk was not arrested or charged in the incident as Cabbagestalk “wanted to let the matter die” and “would not assist in prosecution.”

Kirk’s Twitter bio currently says he is at Jacksonville State. After redshirting his freshman season in 2011, Kirk played in two games a receiver for the ‘Dores in 2012 and moved to defense this spring. Cabbagestalk last played for Vandy in 2010.