Missouri football coach Pinkel defends Paterno

HOOVER, Ala. -- Missouri football 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 said "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."