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BELLEFONTE, Pa. -- A jury awarded a former Penn State assistant football coach $7.3 million in damages Thursday, finding the university defamed him after it became public that his testimony helped prosecutors charge Jerry Sandusky with child molestation.Jurors deliberated for about four hours in Mike McQuearys defamation and misrepresentation suit.Judge Thomas Gavin still must decide McQuearys whistleblower claim that he was treated unfairly as the school suspended him from coaching duties, placed him on paid administrative leave, barred him from team facilities and then did not renew his contract shortly after he testified at Sanduskys 2012 trial.McQueary remained stoic as the verdict was read, and he and his lawyers made no comment as they left the courthouse.A Penn State spokesman said the university would not comment on the case and the jurys decision until a final decision is rendered on all counts.McQueary had been seeking more than $4 million in lost wages and other damages, saying he was defamed by a statement the school president released the day Sandusky was charged, retaliated against for helping with the Sandusky investigation and misled by school administrators.Sandusky, a former defensive coach at Penn State, was convicted in 2012 of sexual abuse of 10 boys and is serving a 30- to 60-year prison sentence. He maintains his innocence.He should not have been the scapegoat, lawyer Elliot Strokoff said of McQueary, speaking to jurors.In closing arguments earlier Thursday, Penn State attorney Nancy Conrad emphasized McQueary had said he was damaged by public criticism that he did not to go to police or child welfare authorities when he saw Sandusky sexually abusing a boy in a team shower in 2001. Instead he reported it the next day to then-head coach Joe Paterno.Mr. McQueary was not damaged by any action of the university, Conrad argued. Mr. McQueary, as he testified and as he recognized, if he was harmed, was harmed by national media and public opinion.McQueary testified he has not been able to find work, either in coaching or elsewhere, but Conrad blamed that on an inadequate network of contacts and the lack of a national reputation.McQueary was not allowed to coach in the schools first game after Paterno was fired, a home loss to Nebraska.That sends a very clear signal to those in your network that the university doesnt want you to be supported, Strokoff said. Stay away, youre a nonperson.Penn State has argued it put McQueary on leave out of safety concerns, as threats were fielded by the university.Strokoff said there was no evidence of multiple death threats against his client and called McQuearys treatment outrageous.Jurors awarded McQueary $1.15 million on the defamation claim and $1.15 million on the misrepresentation allegation that two administrators lied to him when they said they took his report of Sandusky seriously and would respond appropriately. They awarded $5 million in punitive damages.Conrad insisted the university did take steps to inform McQueary about the actions it was taking, which included telling Sandusky to stop bringing children into team facilities and meeting with Sandusky and an official from the childrens welfare charity he founded.No one told Mr. McQueary, You cannot go to the police, Conrad said.The defamation claim involved a statement issued by then-Penn State president Graham Spanier expressing support for the two administrators when they were charged with perjury for allegedly lying about what McQueary told them in the weeks after the 2001 incident.A state appeals court earlier this year dismissed the perjury charges against the administrators, former athletic director Tim Curley and former vice president Gary Schultz. But Curley, Schultz and Spanier still await trial in Harrisburg on charges of failure to properly report suspected child abuse and endangering the welfare of children.Strokoff said Spaniers statement could have led people to conclude McQueary was a liar.Swell Bottle Kopen . -- Three close looks at the bucket, three misses. Swell Drinkfles . Halladay signed a one-day contract with the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday that allowed the veteran right-hander to retire as a member of team with which he broke into the majors and spent the bulk of his distinguished 16-year career. http://www.swellkopen.be/ .com) - Manchester City midfielder David Silva is expected to miss the next four weeks because of a calf problem. Swell Fles Kopen . Both players have lower body injuries that will keep them out of the lineup until at least January 31, which is the first game they can be activated from IR. Swell Waterfles Kopen . PETERSBURG, Fla.It sounds like a simple proposition: On a scale of 1 to 10, how important is (fill in the blank with a school) to the history of college football?Sure, in our blue bloods project, programs such as Alabama, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma and USC all grabbed unanimous 10s across the board.But thats when things got interesting. Here are the most difficult assessments that each of our 12 writers had to hand out.Andrea Adelson: Nebraska CornhuskersIt has been nearly 20 years since Nebraska won a national championship, 17 years since it won a conference title. Despite the recent slide in fortunes, there is no question the Huskers deserve the highest possible rating as a tried-and-true blue blood. The program has been around for 126 years -- its won 46 league titles, five national championships and produced three Heisman Trophy winners. Its teams in the mid-90s go down among the best in college football history. Has the program slid in recent years? Yes. Incoming freshmen have never known true Nebraska football dominance. But its storied history puts the Huskers in rarefied air, worthy of a perfect 10 rating.Edward Aschoff: Ole Miss RebelsYes, the Rebels are nationally relevant now, but its not like this has been a common theme for the program. Growing up in Oxford, the football program wallowed in mediocrity and constantly made real national contenders look good. Before that, you had to go all the way back to the 1960s to find real national success for this football program. So a 6 kind of felt high, but recent success and the wins from long ago made it hard to put the Rebels below the halfway point. And while its been impressive, its taken head coach Hugh Freeze four years to get the Rebels into the national spotlight, and even then, many are still wondering if this is a flash-in-the-pan situation or if Freeze can sustain long-term success. His win totals keep rising, so all signs point to this program sticking around the relevancy category.Brian Bennett: Georgia BulldogsNo wonder the Bulldogs finished just outside our Top 10, and I rated them a 9. They perfectly skate the line between true royalty and simple nobility. Georgia boasts a huge fan base, a tremendous stadium and a grand tradition of great players. Yet it rarely hovers in the national title discussion, has won just two SEC titles in the division era and perpetually seems just a notch below the sports best programs.Heather Dinich: Penn State Nittany LionsFull disclosure: This one was personal. Growing up about three hours east of Penn State, it was impossible to ignore the shadow that Joe Paterno cast over the entire state. Experiences often shape opinions. The Blue-White game. Beaver Stadium. Two-time national champs. Seven undefeated seasons. LaVar Arrington. Courtney Brown. Those traditional white uniforms, those cuffed pants, those glasses ... there was a time when Penn State was the very definition of a blue blood -- winning and tradition. Has recent history, though, changed that picture and perception? Its not the same place. Not the same program. You dont think James Franklin and blue blood. You hear Penn State, you hear Sandusky. Its hard to classify Penn States program anymore, and for better or worse, you cant erase its history. Thats why I gave PSU a 9.Travis Haney: NebraskaFor me, it was Nebraska (my score for the Huskers: 9). It was challenging to balance the programs rich history and tradition with the fact that, really, it has been mostly irrelevant since the turn of the century. Even a move to the Big Ten has not returned the Cornhuskers to national prominence. Coaches see a program that, largely due to location, has struggled to keep up with the recruiting boom. It makes you wonder whether Nebraska will eventually be a museum relic, a storied program we look back on fondly, or if it can find a way back to elite status in modern college football. Count me among the doubters.Chris Low: Alabama Crimson TideMy real dilemma wasnt the score for Bama -- I had the Tide as a 10 -- but more, where to put the program in the top three all time? The Tide were easily in the top three on my list when you think about two of the greatest coaches in history (Bear Bryant and Nick Saban) combining for all of the national titles they have and just the iconic standing Alabama football has in football circles. The fact that Alabama sort of lost its way after Bryant retired in 1982 and spun its wheels for a large chunk of the next two decades hurts the Tides cause some, but few fan bases are as passionate about college football as Alabama.dddddddddddd And where else does football matter more than Alabama? The Tide have it all -- coaches, players, tradition, championships and pageantry. They should be at the top of this list.Ivan Maisel: Penn StateWhat to do with Penn State? Joe Paterno made the Nittany Lions a national power in the early 60s, and they remained so for more than 30 years. Dominance over that length of time turns a programs blood blue in most cases. But thats because in most cases, more than one coach sustained it. In the end, I decided that I wanted to see Penn State return to the top under a different coach, so I gave the Lions a 9.Ryan McGee: Florida State SeminolesAs a would-be college football historian, the most difficult task for me was balancing what a program has done vs. what it is doing. How much more or less weight do you give, say, Penn State, Nebraska or Tennessee? Their lengthy histories are easily among the greatest. So how do you factor in their recent dips, for whatever reason? Or how about an Oregon, Florida or even an FSU? The Seminoles have had ridiculous success during this modern era of the game, but prior to that they had decades that contained an awful lot of so-so football. It makes you appreciate the likes of Ohio State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Oklahoma, etc. They might lose their way for a year or two, but they never really go away.Ted Miller: GeorgiaWhile it was tough to rate Nebraska a 9, my most painful realization was that I rated my home state Georgia Bulldogs lower than anyone. I gave the Bulldogs a 7. No one else had them lower than 9 or 10. As an Atlanta native, my immediate reaction was thinking my buddies at home are going to crush me. Then I realized Im just like a Georgia fan -- hard to please. While Wally Butts run in the 1940s might say differently, the Bulldogs own only one real national title: 1980. Thats 36 years ago. Heck, Justin Timberlake and Paris Hilton werent even born yet. While Georgia is almost always at least good, it not only lacks national titles, its mostly been an afterthought in the national title hunt by November over the past few decades. Georgia hasnt won an SEC title in a decade and owns just two since 1983. Ergo, its no blue blood. Still, 7 might be a bit low.Adam Rittenberg: Texas LonghornsMaybe its recency bias but the Longhorns have won only one national title during my lifetime (Im 35) and endured two prolonged stretches of stunning mediocrity (1986 to 1993 and 2010 to present). I realize the long-term history, the great tradition, immense resources and all the star players who have worn burnt orange, but Texas hasnt been consistently elite during a period when the sport is most competitive. It was very close for me, but I had to give the Longhorns a 9.Mark Schlabach: Which is more important -- Notre Dame or Ohio State?Notre Dame or Ohio State? Its like picking between Urban Meyer and Nick Saban to coach your team. Its nearly impossible. In my opinion, Notre Dame is the ultimate blue blood in college football. Knute Rockne. The Four Horsemen. Touchdown Jesus. The Gipper. The Fighting Irish have won 11 national championships, but only three since 1967 and none since 1988. Notre Dames 899 all-time victories are the most in FBS and it has produced seven Heisman Trophy winners. But Ohio States tradition and history are equally impressive. The Buckeyes have won 875 games and have just as many Heisman Trophy winners, including Archie Griffin, the only two-time winner. The Buckeyes claim eight national titles (only six are widely recognized), including two since 2002. Across the board, it was a toss-up between Notre Dame and Ohio State, but I had both as 10s.Mitch Sherman: The Florida schoolsI had trouble finding a way to differentiate the three power programs from the state of Florida. An argument can be made for each that it deserves distinction over the others. Their histories are intertwined. All three have sat atop the entire sport. Ultimately, I considered Florida State over Miami, then Florida. But the gap was so small that I scored each as a 9. ' ' '