Paterno Finds Himself in Feud With Pitt Coach

Last week, it was only a game, but now Penn State’s 34-14 victory Saturday over Pitt has turned into a war of hot words, with Coach Mike Gottfried of Pitt accusing Penn State’s Joe Paterno of taking verbal cheap shots.

Gottfried said he will not forgive Paterno for calling Pitt players who got into a sideline fight with some Nittany Lions “a disgrace to college football.”

According to Paterno, however, Gottfried misunderstood. Paterno was referring to some of his own players as well, he said.

Gottfried is also angry at some Penn State fans. He apparently became upset when a group of them began chanting: “If you can’t go to college, go to Pitt.”

Paterno got involved in the sideline fight when he charged across the field to break up a skirmish between players at the end of a punt return by Pitt. A 15-yard personal-foul penalty was called against Penn State on the play, and three players were ejected, two of them from Penn State.

“Joe Paterno was yelling at us that we had no class, after they tackled our punt returner almost against the wall,” Pitt defensive end Burt Grossman said.

Said Paterno: “I never said Pitt players didn’t have any class.”