The federal trial on college basketball corruption took an unexpected turn toward college football today, and Ohio State defensive line coach Larry Johnson ended up having his name tied to an allegation relating back to his time as an assistant coach at Penn State.
Marty Blazer, a Pittsburgh-area financial advisor, testified Tuesday that between 2000 and 2013, he made payments to college football players in hopes that they would work with him when they made it to the NFL, including players from Alabama, Michigan, North Carolina, Northwestern, Notre Dame, Pittsburgh and Penn State.
According to Yahoo Sports' Dan Wetzel, Blazer specifically told the court that in 2009, he was encouraged by a Penn State assistant coach to pay $10,000 to Aaron Maybin – who went on to be selected with the 11th overall pick in the 2009 NFL draft – in hopes of encouraging him to stay in school for another year.