Pinkel defends Paterno at SEC Media Days

HOOVER, Ala. (AP) Missouri coach Gary Pinkel says he thinks it is ``wrong'' to place sole blame for the Penn State tragedy on former coach Joe Paterno.

Talking with reporters at Southeastern Conference Media Days on Tuesday, Pinkel was quoted as saying ``you can't take away the greatness of this man. He was a great man, and you can't, however you analyze this, all of a sudden erase all that this guy's done. You can't do that. Nobody can do that.''

Pinkel said Paterno was a friend who he got to know professionally. He added that it was a ``tragic situation ... involving children'' and that ``I'm sure maybe if (Paterno) could do it over again he would (have) followed up a few things.''