Paterno supports ACC's addition of Pitt and Syracuse

Joe Paterno was asked during today's press conference his thoughts on Pittsburgh and Syracuse joining the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). Paterno, who 30 years ago ago lobbied for an Eastern all-sports conference, said he thought it was a good move for both schools.

"I think the problem you have right now is you look at it as I look at it, anyway, is things are changing and you're not really sure what's going to happen," Paterno said on Tuesday. "I don't know where we're (Big Ten) going to end up.

"There might be even some speculation that Penn State maybe ought to get into something different or we ought to try to go out and get some people from the East to come into the Big Ten, that we maybe ought to solicit (Big Ten commissioner) Jim Delany and some of the leaders of the Big Ten, 'hey, why don't we go take a good look and Syracuse and Pitt?' Now that they're out of it, 'why don't we take a look at Rutgers?' and take a look at somebody that we can bring in from the East so that the Big Ten doesn't end in State College.

"I think that might be helpful. I don't know. I haven't given it enough thought. But I'm sure there are people sitting around this morning over a cup of coffee who have some responsibility for the future of different conferences that are talking about it.

"And maybe even talking to each other, one conference to the other. But I do think it's a good move for Syracuse and Pitt. They're old friends and old competitors against us. And a lot of those guys who are associated with those programs, I literally grew up with. So I don't have any compunctions in wishing them well."

--Jake Kaplan