UNIVERSITY PARK Penn State will be without three key players for Saturday's game with Oregon State.
Joe Paterno confirmed on his radio show Thursday night that starting defensive linemen Maurice Evans and Abe Koroma, along with tight end Andrew Quarless, will not play for disciplinary reasons.
The action comes in the wake of a university police investigation Tuesday in which a small amount of marijuana was taken from the apartment occupied by the aforementioned three plus cornerback and kick returner A.J. Wallace.
Charges have yet to be filed, but university police have said they would be.
Paterno said "Wallace was not part of it," but he has not allowed Evans, Komora or Quarless to practice with the team.
"It's unfortunate," he said. "But if they did something as dumb as it appears they did and I'm not sure if they did or didn't even being close to that kind of thing, I'm not going to play any one of those kids this week."
He said he's not sure how or when the matter will be resolved.
"I feel they have a responsibility to the program, their families and their teammates," he said.
Backup defensive back Willie Harriott, also a special teams player, "got in a jam," Paterno said, has been removed from the team. Harriott's troubles do not appear related to the marijuana incident.
Evans, one of the top defensive ends in the Big Ten and the Lions' sack leader last year, will likely be replaced by Aaron Maybin. Koroma will be replaced by Jared Odrick.
Quarless, who has been in and out of trouble for the past couple of years including an arrest for DUI in the spring, has been backing up starter Mickey Shuler, Quarless' playing time now will likely go to redshirt freshman Andrew Szczerba.
