Penn State Football: Congressmen Ask Mark Emmert to Restore 40 Lost Scholarships

Congressman Glenn “GT” Thompson, who represents the State College area, co-signed a letter to NCAA President Mark Emmert on Monday asking that the 40 scholarships that were taken away from Penn State as part of the sanctions be restored.

The letter, co-signed by congressman Charlie Dent, asks how denying future student-athletes access to higher education supports the NCAA’s mission.

“I want to make it clear to the NCAA who they are really hurting with this scholarship reduction,” Dent said in a press release. “It’s not Jerry Sandusky and it’s not the University. They are hurting young people who are completely innocent of anything relating to the Sandusky situation and who through no fault of their own are being denied a chance to get a great education.”

Penn State is entering Year 1 of the four-year scholarship reduction. Bill O’Brien’s coaching staff is allowed to sign a maximum of 15 scholarship players — down from 25 — until 2017. It has a 65 scholarship player cap starting in 2014.

NCAA President re: PSU Scholarships by