Article of the day - Timmons, others off team

The Daily Collegian reported today that Knowledge Timmons and two other players are, for now, off the football team.

Paterno 'excuses' three from team

Knowledge Timmons and two other Penn State football players have been kicked off the team, and their future with the program will likely remain unclear until the results of a Judicial Affairs hearing next Tuesday, Timmons's aunt said last night.

Team spokesmen Jeff Nelson and Guido D'Elia confirmed last night three players have been "excused from the team" but would not offer any further information.

Joe Paterno told Timmons, a sophomore defensive back, and the two unknown players in meetings yesterday afternoon they would not be a part of the team until legal matters cleared, said Timmons's aunt Joan Flowers, who has helped care for Timmons since he was about 9 years old. The two are not related, but Flowers considers Timmons family and calls her his aunt.

Timmons was suspended for Penn State's final regular season game against Michigan State and then for the Alamo Bowl in connection with an Oct. 7 fight in the HUB-Robeson Center, for which he was charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct and defiant trespass. Also in connection with that fight, defensive tackle Chris Baker and linebacker Navorro Bowman were charged with aggravated assault, harassment and stalking, simple assault and disorderly conduct. Neither played against Michigan State or in the Alamo Bowl.

Timmons's name was also listed on the police report for the April 1 fight at the Meridian II, 646 E. College Ave.

"He's been suspended for two big games," Flowers said. "How much punishment do you have to get for this? If he don't play football, he don't get no scholarship, he don't go to school. I'm all wore out from it. I just

don't understand it, really."

Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley did not immediately return a cell phone message. Karen Feldbaum, the associate director of Judicial Affairs, would not provide specifics regarding any pending cases, which remain confidential.

The move to dismiss the players -- at least temporarily -- isn't atypical for Paterno. The 81-year-old coach similarly kicked off Austin Scott this season for undisclosed reasons, his mother, JoAnn Scott, told The Daily Collegian on Oct. 8. Then, about a week later, police charged Scott with rape. That case is awaiting trial.

Timmons met yesterday with Judicial Affairs and then had a meeting with Paterno, Flowers said. After Timmons's meeting with Paterno, he called Flowers to give an update on his status. Flowers then called Paterno, seeking clarification.

"If he's all right with his hearing -- if that comes out, I guess, to his favor -- I guess he would be put back on the team," Flowers said. "[Paterno] said he doesn't need any distractions, which I don't understand because he's still got distractions on the team. ... If he's going to suspend one he should suspend them all, not pick and choose."

Despite losing Justin King to the NFL, Timmons's departure could have little effect on the secondary. Timmons, known on the team for his feisty and sometimes hotheaded demeanor, played mostly special teams in his time at Penn State. As a redshirt freshman in 2006, Timmons played in all 13 games and had 11 tackles. He played in 10 games last season and recorded five tackles.

Timmons entered Penn State with a degree of hype -- largely because of his speed on the track -- coming out of William Penn High School in York. In addition to starring on the football field, Timmons won the state Class AAA title in the 100- and 200-meter dash.

Timmons's high school defensive backs coach said last night he believes the defensive back knows he needs to focus more on academics and football while putting the off-field issues behind him.

"He's certainly turned the corner," Dave Graybill said of how Timmons has been affected by the off-the-field incidents. "I think when he wasn't allowed to go to the bowl game in San Antonio, I think that really hit him hard, and I think that made the light go on."

But Timmons's future remains uncertain.

"It's quite painful for him and me because I hate to see him in pain," Flowers said. "He's hurt because he loves football. He's got to go to school. I want him to get a good education as well as football. But now, all that's jeopardized right now."

-- Staff writer Lauren Boyer contributed to this report.