… According to a release issued by the university, a total of six players will be suspended for a game or games at the beginning of 2011 for selling awards, gifts and university apparel and receiving improper benefits in 2009.  Included in that total is quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who figured to be in the thick of the Heisman race next year but now must decide whether it’s worth even coming back another year.

Pryor, the release states, must repay $2,500 for selling his 2008 Big Ten championship ring, a 2009 Fiesta Bowl sportsmanship award and his 2008 Gold Pants, a gift from the university.  He will be suspended for the first five games of the 2011 season, or nearly half of his final year of collegiate eligibility.

Joining Pryor on the sidelines for the first five game of ’11 — or the NFL, whichever the case may be — are offensive lineman Mike Adams, running back Boom Herron, wide receiver DeVier Posey and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas.  Like Pryor, all four of those players are juniors and thus eligible for the April draft.

Dawg fans, perhaps you noticed that the suspension is for five games, one longer than A.J. served.  Here’s why:

“We were not as explicit with our student-athlete education as we should have been in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 academic years regarding the sale of apparel, awards and gifts issued by the athletics department,” athletic director Gene Smith said in a statement. “We began to significantly improve our education in November of 2009 to address these issues. After going through this experience, we will further enhance our education for all our student-athletes as we move forward.”

“Once a student-athlete understands a violation has occurred, they must immediately come forward to report it,” he said. “That did not happen, so the additional one-game penalty was imposed.”

Have a nice day, Mr. Delany.