It should be an easy answer: Has Penn State hired former Rutgers recruiting coordinator E.J. Barthel?
But after a week of reporting, which has included interviews and emails with Barthel, his attorney and Penn State media relations officials, the answer remains elusive.
"It's a personnel matter and we have no comment,'' Penn State spokeswoman Kristina Petersen told NJ Advance Media following repeated queries.
Why the mystery?
Why is Penn State dodging questions about whether it has hired Barthel as a recruiting coordinator -- the same position he held at Rutgers, where he was in charge of the student-ambassador program that has been named in an NCAA investigation into Rutgers athletics?