Nebraska coach Bo Pelini released a statement Sunday afternoon in response to the news of Joe Paterno’s death.

Paterno, the long-time Penn State coach, was 85. Pelini’s comments are below…

“My condolences go out to Coach Paterno’s family and the Penn State community. I have so much respect for what Coach Paterno accomplished at Penn State both on and off the field. He wasn’t just a legendary coach, but a class individual and his record speaks for itself. I had the honor of getting a few chances to spend time with him since we joined the Big Ten, and those were special opportunities for me as a relatively young head coach in this profession.”

Nebraska athletic director Tom Osborne also released a statement Sunday, though he did take time to share a few thoughts Saturday night. The World-Herald’s Dirk Chatelain blogged about that Sunday.

Osborne’s statement: “I am saddened to hear the news of Joe Paterno’s passing. Joe was a genuinely good person. Whenever you recruited or played against Joe you knew how he operated and that he always stood for the right things. Of course, his longevity over time and his impact on college football is remarkable. Anybody who knew Joe feels badly about the circumstances. I suspect the emotional turmoil of the last few weeks might have played into it. We offer our condolences to his family and wish them the very best.”