Penn State linebacker transfers to Cal

Penn State linebacker Khairi Fortt has elected totransfer to Cal, the third potential starter to leave the Nittany Lionsin the past two days.Fortts move followed that of running back Silas Redd, wholanded at USC on Tuesday, the latest domino in the free-for-all that has ensuedin State College, Pa., in the wake of the Freeh Report andsubsequent NCAA sanctions. According to sanctions on PennState, players are free to transferfrom Penn State and be immediately eligible toplay at their new schools.The NCAA issued a four-year bowl ban to Penn State inaddition to scholarship reductions, the vacating of all wins from 1998 to 2011and a 60-million fine after the Freeh Report revealed that Penn Stateofficials, including former football coach Joe Paterno, participated in acover-up of Jerry Sanduskys sexual abuse of children. Sandusky was convicted of 45 counts of childsex abuse in June.Fortt, a junior middle linebacker at PennState, opted to transfer to Cal rather spend thefinal two years of his college career ineligible for a bowl game. Forttappeared in all 13 games for Penn State last year,recording 33 tackles including six for loss and 2.5 sacks. He was expected to be in the competition for a starting jobwith the Nittany Lions this season after being listed as a co-starter on thedepth chart at middle linebacker following spring drills.Fortt, 6-feet, 2-inches tall and 238 pounds, missed timeduring Penn States spring practices with a sprainedknee but is expected to be healthy for the fall.Fortts friend and former teammate Silas Redd chose totransfer from Penn State to USC on Tuesday,setting the pair up for a Sept. 22 reunion when the Trojans host the Bears.New Penn State head coach Bill OBrien said at the Big Tensmedia days last week that he was trying to convince his players to stay byreminding them of the bonds they had formed at Penn Stateand the bowl-like atmosphere of playing in the Nittany Lions 106,572-seatBeaver Stadium, among other reasons.Those reasons apparently did not convince Fortt, who isamong five players to have transferred from Penn Statesince the NCAA imposed its sanctions.