Mauk to return
Maty Mauk, the Missouri quarterback who was suspended twice last season, has been reinstated by new Coach Barry Odom. Mauk has one year of eligibility remaining and could contend with freshman Drew Lock for the starting job next season. He is 17-5 as a starter and played in four games last season.
Missouri has reinstated Maty Mauk, the quarterback who was twice suspended last season. New Coach Barry Odom confirmed the move Wednesday before the annual Braggin’ Rights basketball game between Illinois and Missouri. “I believe in guys having opportunities and chances,” Odom said. Odom said he was convinced after meeting with Mauk that he was excited about rejoining the program and wanted to make it official before players left for the holiday break. Mauk has one year of eligibility remaining and could contend with freshman Drew Lock for the starting job next season. He said the two had “long talks” the last few days. “I wanted to hear really what he wanted. Did he want to be here? Did he want to get his degree? Does he want to play football?” Odom said. The first suspension was for a violation of program policies in late September and then-coach Gary Pinkel declined to state the reason for the second suspension. Missouri was 5-7 in Pinkel’s final season before resigning a few months after being diagnosed with cancer. The Tigers begin winter workouts Jan. 18. “We need to go to work, and the depth chart will take care of itself,” Odom said. Mauk is 17-5 as the starter and had six touchdown passes and four interceptions in four games last season. “Expectations for that position, fair or not, that’s life,” Odom said. “We’ll take it a day at a time, see where it ends up.”
Pennsylvania’s state government pension system will send Jerry Sandusky a $211,000 check next week to cover payments going back to when it illegally stopped his retirement benefits after the former Penn State assistant football coach was sentenced for child molestation, according to a letter obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press. The State Employees’ Retirement System told Sandusky lawyer Richard Beran last week that it will mail the check Monday and that Sandusky’s $4,900 monthly
benefits will resume in January. A court ruled on Nov. 13 that the pension system was wrong to classify Sandusky as a university employee at the time of the sexual abuse crimes that were the basis of his pension forfeiture. It ordered the retroactive payments, along with 6 percent interest, and the pension system did not appeal. Sandusky, 71, is serving a lengthy prison term after being convicted of sexually abusing 10 boys.