Minnesota State-Mankato Football Coach Arrested For Child Pornography Suspicions, According To Report

Apr 5, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; General view of the construction of the Ron Tutor Pavilion indoor football field in the basement of the John McKay Center on the campus of the University of Southern California. The McKay Center will house meeting rooms, coaches offices, an indoor football field and a locker room, along with an academic center, weight room, athletic training room and state-of-the-art digital media production facility for the 21 athletic teams. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

Minnesota State-Mankato football coach Todd Hoffner, 46, was taken to jail on Tuesday afternoon on child pornography allegations.

In a stunning development, Minnesota State University Mankato football coach Todd Hoffner was arrested at his Eagle Lake home on Tuesday afternoon on allegations of child pornography, according to the Star Tribune.

The 46-year-old Hoffner was entering his fifth season with the Mavericks, and was apparently escorted from team facilities during Friday's practice. He is being held on suspicions of "the use of minors in a sexual performance" in addition to owning child pornography, according to the Blue Earth County Sheriff's Office. Hoffner has since been placed on administrative leave by the school while officials determine how to address the issue.

Assistant coach Aaron Keen will take over the team in Hoffner's absence, but this news comes at the absolute worst time for a group of players prepared to open their 2012 campaign. "The whole situation comes as a shock and is still a shock," Keen said Tuesday.

Police approached Hoffner's home on Tuesday after receiving a bothersome tip Monday, and took him into custody soon after a full search of the premises. Although more details of the investigation will surely be revealed soon, this is obviously disheartening news for both the football program and university.