No trip to Alamo Bowl for five Nits

SAN ANTONIO - Five Penn State players, including starting defensive tackle Chris Baker, did not make the trip with their teammates for Saturday night's Alamo Bowl game against Texas A & M.

Coach Joe Paterno had said Baker, reserve linebacker Navorro Bowman and reserve cornerback Knowledge Timmons would accompany their teammates, but that was before Centre County District Attorney Michael Madeira re-filed felony charges against Baker and Bowman for their roles in an Oct. 7 party in which they allegedly attacked and injured a man.

Timmons is facing misdemeanor charges stemming from the same incident.

Baker, Bowman and Timmons also did not travel with the team for the Nov. 17 regular-season finale at Michigan State.

Also remaining behind was Willie Harriott, a backup cornerback and special-teams mainstay who had missed time earlier this season for underage drinking. He was cited Nov. 11 in Ferguson Township for driving under the influence.

Redshirt freshman tackle Tom McEowen, from Neshaminy High, did not travel with the team for unspecified reasons.

Paterno was unavailable for comment yesterday, and offensive coordinator Galen Hall declined to discuss the missing players during a media session.

"I think those are things that coach Paterno has to answer," Hall said. "There are some players that aren't here for various reasons and I think that's [Paterno's] place to answer." *