Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Penn State University Libraries, in collaboration with the University Park Undergraduate Association (UPUA), are extending Pattee & Paterno weeknight hours. Pattee and Paterno Library hours will be extended from Sundays through Thursdays Hours will be extended from the usual midnight closing time to a 2 a.m closing time for students to have more time with the library’s space and resources Summer hours at Pattee & Paterno Library will begin Sunday Ella is a first-year Telecommunications major from Miami, Florida, though will forever be a Jersey girl. You can probably find her scrolling through TikTok for way too long, or avoiding staying in the HUB for longer than necessary. If needed, you can contact her through email at [email protected] or through Twitter @ellawehm Changing your outlook to see failure as a stepping stone Penn State’s Blue-White Game was not televised Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" The 15-year deal takes effect with the 2025 Penn State football season McGloin, elected to the board in 2024 through an alumni vote told the board that Penn State instead should consider naming the field after Paterno who was Penn State's head coach for 46 years and won two national championships Penn State's Board of Trustees fired Paterno in November 2011 in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal Several groups since have initiated campaigns to name the field at Beaver Stadium after Paterno "You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach and what’s happening now may look like a successful move but I don’t believe it’s a very honorable one," McGloin said in a statement to the board "And success without honor is an unseasoned dish I’m urging you to do the right thing for Penn State to do the right thing for the Paterno family There shouldn’t be a price for our identity here at Penn State." several board members said during Monday's meeting that the university should honor the Paterno family by naming the field at Beaver Stadium after Joe and Sue Paterno McGloin, who recently resigned his position on Bill O'Brien's coaching staff at Boston College began his statement by noting other college venues where fields are named after head coaches They include Saban Field at Alabama's Bryant-Denny Stadium Bobby Bowden Field at Florida State's Doak S Campbell Stadium and Barry Alvarez Field at Wisconsin's Camp Randall Stadium "There’s a great amount of us that still carry on Joe’s legacy and will continue to do so," McGloin said "But by not giving him the honor he deserves you’re trying to eliminate the past and everything he stood for: every player that played for him every player that walked through that tunnel every player whose life may not have been changed for the better." Here is the full text of McGloin's comments to the Penn State Board of Trustees: Barry Alvarez Field at Camp Randall Stadium Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium I played for Joe Paterno for four of my five years at Penn State and had the honor and privilege of being his last quarterback the university had decided to name the field after Joe and the field at Beaver Stadium has not yet been named Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium Is this because we’re fearful that we may receive some criticism for it I would have never set foot on Penn State’s campus in 2008 this university would not have gotten through the 2012 year which was the darkest period any university had ever faced the year in which we essentially faced the death penalty this university would look a lot different than it does today it was still a major part of Joe Paterno’s legacy Without the things he instilled in us — dedication being a part of something bigger than yourself — we all don’t get through it There’s a great amount of us that still carry on Joe’s legacy and will continue to do so But by not giving him the honor he deserves every player whose life may not have been changed for the better You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach And what’s happening now may look like a successful move but I don’t believe it’s a very honorable one And success without honor is an unseasoned dish It will satisfy your hunger but it won’t taste very good There shouldn’t be a price for our identity here at Penn State The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Sue Paterno, a constant advocate for Penn State students, has pledged a generous $25,000 donation to the Student Well-Being Fund at Penn State University Libraries This contribution will be matched dollar-for-dollar during the University’s GivingTuesday 2024 campaign on Dec. 3, effectively doubling the impact of every donation. Supporting the Student Well-Being Fund is one of the University Libraries’ two GivingTuesday campaigns emotional and physical health of Penn State students is deeply personal Determined to ensure that students facing mental health challenges have the support they need she is passionate about addressing this critical issue “I think we’re at a time in our history where we need more help for mental health but we’ve got to address that before we have more issues or lose more people,” Paterno said The University Libraries is dedicated to supporting student well-being through the Student Well-Being Fund which helps provide programs and resources that support students' physical the University Libraries offers wellness activities tools and sensory-friendly spaces to help students succeed in school and in life the Libraries’ employees and supporting donors are working to create a welcoming and inclusive environment where every student can feel supported and thrive De-Stress Fest is one of the most successful recurring student-support events of the LibWell initiative held at most of the Libraries’ locations University-wide stress-reducing activities with free snacks and hot beverages during finals week five library locations at University Park and 16 campuses participated Pattee Library and Paterno Libraries welcomed 5,877 students while Commonwealth Campus Libraries reported 9,235 students participating Paterno’s connection to the University Libraries dates to her time as a student at Penn State a place she fondly remembers not only for academic study It was in the library where young Sue Pohland met Joe Paterno a moment she describes as “the best memory I have in the library.” Their shared passion for the University Libraries led him to be a founding member of the Libraries Development Board in the early 1980s and for her to join a few years later She has served on the board continuously since then and is its longtime vice chair Joe Paterno once said that you cannot have a great university without a great library — Sue Paterno echoed this sentiment when asked why she chose to support the Student Well-Being Fund and the more we can do to make things better for every student I really believe we reach any student who has a need.”  dean of University Libraries and scholarly communications expressed her gratitude for Paterno’s continued support “Sue’s generous gift is a profound testament to her unwavering commitment to the well-being of Penn State students,” Chadwell said “Her belief in the power of the library to create a supportive community aligns perfectly with our mission and we are deeply grateful for her partnership in helping us foster a more inclusive Sue Paterno’s matching gift is a part of Penn State’s 2024 GivingTuesday campaign which kicked off its early giving window at 18:55 (6:55 p.m the timing a nod to the year in which the University was founded GivingTuesday allows Penn State alumni and friends to come together in support of initiatives like the Student Well-Being Fund helping to provide vital resources and support to students across the University Those interested in contributing to the University Libraries’ Student Well-Being Fund can learn more here Gifts made on GivingTuesday further advance the University’s historic land-grant mission to serve and lead. Through philanthropy, alumni and friends help students join the Penn State family and prepare for lifelong success, drive research and economic development, and increase the University’s impact on communities across the commonwealth and around the world. Learn more at raise.psu.edu Thousands in Centre County Lose Power After Severe Storms Man Dies by Electrocution in State College After Severe Storm Damaged Power Lines Road Closures Continue in Centre County After Severe Storm We have the same obligations as all teachers except we probably have more influence than anybody but their families more than their families.” – Coach Joe Paterno or have occasionally read one of my columns you know that I have a great passion for ice hockey administered and volunteered in hockey for the better part of 55 years My career in hockey would have never gotten started if it weren’t for the help of a certain former Penn State athletic director who most of you know as legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno I was a struggling nuclear engineering student when that “Miracle on Ice” USA hockey team won the 1980 Olympics That event changed my career trajectory as I realized I wanted to be involved in sports I switched my major to marketing and then put myself in a position to get hands-on sport management experience by becoming the vice president and eventually president of the Penn State Ice Hockey Club Coach Paterno became the athletic director for just a brief period of time.  So here is “The Rest of the Story.”   Author, editor and speaker Deborah Kevin is spearheading The Dear JoePa Project which is described as “an endeavor steeped in heart and history dedicated to celebrating the centennial of Joe Paterno’s birthday on December 21 2026.” Deborah texted me last week to tell me about the project: “It celebrates the profound impact JoePa had on all of us at Penn State and beyond. We are collecting letters from alumni, students, faculty and anyone whose life was touched by Joe, to be shared on our dedicated platform, DearJoePa.org You can read about how this project came to be on the website.” on the “Your Stories” column on the website’s homepage you will find the link to the following story: and I was a 21-year-old senior marketing major at Penn State and president of the PSU Ice Hockey Club The job/internship market was brutal as I prepared for my future as we were in a deep recession (mortgage rates were a whopping 17%!) so things looked pretty dire During that time Coach Joe Paterno was also the Penn State Athletic Director I got to see Coach often because his office was directly above the entrance to the old Greenberg Ice Pavilion and because I had numerous meetings with “AD” Paterno to pitch ice hockey as a Division I varsity sport but I got up the courage to ask Coach to write a letter of recommendation for me for an internship with my hometown Pittsburgh Penguins Coach willingly did so and wrote a glowing recommendation on February 5 who was the Director of Marketing for the Penguins at that time.  Several weeks went by and I didn’t hear anything back I even went to Pittsburgh during spring break and waited for Paul Steigerwald in the Civic Arena lobby to come back from lunch to talk to him I got a polite brush off and didn’t make much progress Then it dawned on me that when Coach Paterno was an assistant coach at Penn State he likely would have recruited a standout running back from Shadyside Academy in Pittsburgh Paul ultimately went to become an All-American at Pitt and played in the NFL Martha just happened to be the current president of the Pittsburgh Penguins.  I went back to coach Paterno during the middle of spring football practice and I asked him if he would please contact Mr The next thing I know I get a call from Paul Steigerwald and I have an internship with my hometown Pittsburgh Penguins I even got to announce it at my senior hockey banquet later that evening Paul Steigerwald would later tell me the story of how after a meeting with Paul Martha about marketing initiatives get this kid “Baptista” an internship.” I was actually able to parlay that internship into a full-time job and was affectionately known as “The Baptist” by the office staff.  I was just some kid from Pittsburgh who had a passion for hockey and he took the time to meet with me and his recommendation and phone call on my behalf changed my life forever Returning to Penn State as Hockey Coach and eventually Nittany Lion Club Executive Director afforded me the opportunity to actually work with Coach Paterno His positive influence on me will never be forgotten I am proud to share my personal story about how Coach Paterno impacted me directly but there isn’t enough room in this column to do justice to what I saw him do for so many others.  My time as the Nittany Lion Club executive director was priceless I made numerous trips with Coach for speaking engagements with Alumni Chapters and Nittany Lion Clubs around the state and in New York and Washington Everywhere we went I saw Coach’s genuine and sincere interactions with former players One stands out in particular to me and that was a PSAA event in Washington Because of a registration snafu there was a much larger crowd that showed up than expected and we literally ran out of space The hotel staff would not let us put any more bodies in the main ballroom They set up an adjacent room with speakers so the crowd could hear JoePa he was initially upset that this snafu came about and he quietly snuck out of the main ballroom and to everyone’s surprise in the smaller room He spoke passionately to the crowd and apologized and then signed autographs and had pictures taken in many ways that group ended up with the better deal Once back in the main ballroom and after he spoke Way in the back of the room was this young boy in a wheelchair whose father had picked him up on his shoulders so he could ask Coach if he would sign his football Joe motioned for the youngster and his father to make their way to the front of the room and only then did Coach realize the young boy had a disability Coach got down off the stage to meet the young boy and chatted with him before signing his ball He was clearly moved by the young boy’s circumstances I’m a hero because I’m a football coach.” He continued “Well if you want to see real courage look at that young man He’s the real hero.” The room erupted into thunderous applause I will state for the record that of the few negatives involving my 47-year Penn State experience the greatest sorrow was in the way that Coach Paterno was treated by the university it couldn’t have been handled any worse by the “media consultants” that were brought in by PSU at the time It was the first major crisis in the “Twitter Age,” and we used a playbook from corporate America from the late ‘90s before social media was even a thing.  While we will not debate those events here I will say this…”He who is without sin can cast the first stone.” May your life’s work never be judged by your PERCEIVED worst action.  “Thank you Coach Paterno.” Like you did for so many others 80% of consumers turn to directories with reviews to find a local business We offer the latest breaking news and videos straight from the Centre County region in Central PA Contact us: info@statecollege.com © Copyright 2000 –  2024 | StateCollege.com® | All Rights Reserved | State College PA – Centre County – Central Pennsylvania – Home of Penn State University This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. StateCollege.com Privacy Policy page …Ponzi scheme in history; and Paterno (2018) about Penn State football coach Joe Paterno whose legacy was tarnished by a sex-abuse scandal that occurred during his tenure In 2021 Levinson directed several episodes of the miniseries Dopesick about the opioid crisis in the United States In Paterno (2018) Pacino played legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno whose reputation was tarnished by a sex-abuse scandal that occurred during his tenure he portrayed a Holocaust survivor who leads a group of people searching for Monday, March 10, will always be remembered as an historic day in Penn State football history The university announced a 22-8 vote had passed to rename State College's Beaver Stadium to West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium this fall throughout the next 14 seasons According to a school statement issued by Patrick Kraft, the Vice President of Intercollegiate Athletics which was made with the generous support of the Werzyn family and West Shore Home and West Shore Home for this game-changing gift as their commitment to Penn State Athletics and the institution will have a lasting impact on our student-athletes "As an alumnus of our great University and a business owner in Central Pennsylvania understands the critical role that Beaver Stadium plays in our community as well as the importance of preserving the great traditions of Penn State while helping us build a strong future We are thankful for the Werzyn family and West Shore Home for their generosity and dedication to Penn State.” Despite the project's "revitalization" goal to encompass every team on campus, the decision to rename the stadium after a business instead of coaching icon Joe Paterno didn't sit well with Paterno's last quarterback he coached before his death in Jan an ex-walk-on who started for the Nittany Lions from 2010-2012 voiced his frustration with the school's Board of Trustees for “Here we sit 14 years later [after the Paterno-Jerry Sandusky saga] and the field at Beaver Stadium has not been named Paterno field at Beaver Stadium," McGloin said via Nittany Sports Now."Personally I would not have set foot on Penn State’s campus in 2008 this University would not have gotten through the 2012 year is the darkest period any university has ever faced this University would look a lot different than it does today." McGloin went on to share a chilling sentiment one which he said is arguably the biggest reason regarding why Paterno should feel vindicated in the eyes of the Nittany Lions' fanbase every player who graduated," McGloin said of Paterno Every player whose life may not have been changed for the better You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach.” Although McGloin's plea was ultimately unheard it shows that those who played for Paterno have a sense of affection for him that few can even begin to unpack It won't associate with Paterno following a dark past Regardless of one's opinion on the events leading up to Paterno's passing it obviously wants to focus on the present regimes Penn State opens its season Saturday, Aug. 30. playing host to Nevada. Joel Klatt Dubs Penn State Football No. 1 Team in the Country Penn State All 105: Koby Howard Brings Depth to WR Room Projecting Penn State QB Drew Allar’s Passing Hierarchy Post-Spring Rankings: Penn State Ahead of Ohio State Odds: Penn State QB Drew Allar Among Favorites to go No. 1 7-1: Penn State Wrestling Great Bo Nickal Loses 1st MMA Fight Via TKO Penn State Wrestling: 5 More Win U.S. Open Titles Penn State Wrestling: Here’s What Happened at The U.S. Open This Weekend Penn State Wrestling All-American Accused of Fleeing Police, Resisting Arrest Penn State Wrestling: Former Star Undergoes Surgery Mike Rhoades Lands Top Serbian/FIBA Forward Penn State Basketball Adds Transfer Guard From Cincinnati Transfer Portal Update: Big Ten Transfer Visiting Penn State Penn State Basketball: Yanic Konan Niederhauser Declares for Draft, Keeps Eligibility Penn State Hockey’s Magical Ride Ends in National Semifinal History in Allentown: Penn State Hockey Wins Instant Classic to Advance to First Frozen Four PSU Hockey Wins at Michigan, On Doorstep of NCAA Tournament Penn State Hockey to Play in Wrigley Field No.17 Penn State Falls to Notre Dame in Shootout Former Penn State WR Julian Fleming Fails Physical Giants Legend Opens Door For Abdul Carter to Wear No. 11 Crank Call Calamity: Abdul Carter Got Prank Called During Draft Golik: Why Stephen A. Smith is Right On Abdul Carter Requesting No. 56 Stephen A. Smith Rips Abdul Carter For ‘Shameful’ Request Recruiting: Top-Ranked Penn State Commit Receives Power 4 Offer Penn State Recruiting: Breaking Down All 15 Commits Penn State Football Lands Commitment From Top 20 2026 Linebacker Recruiting: Penn State Commit Invited to Big-Time Showcase Penn State Recruiting: An Updated 2026 Class Breakdown This will not be happening anytime soon, since the Penn State Board of Trustees voted to rename the place “West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium” Monday morning. Beaver Stadium Has a New Name The deal will run through 2039 and pay Penn State more than $3 million annually But plenty of Penn State alumni have wanted PSUs home to have Paterno’s name on it for years and McGloin made it clear during Monday’s meeting that he’s one of them Here’s what McGloin said about naming the field after Paterno He started by pointing out that Alabama named its field after Nick Saban and Florida State name its after Bobby Bowden “Here we sit 14 years later (after Paterno’s firing amid the Jerry Sandusky scandal) and the field at Beaver Stadium has not been named Paterno field at Beaver Stadium.” “Is this because we’re fearful that we might receive criticism for it I would not have set foot on Penn State’s campus in 2008 this University would look a lot different than it does today it was still a major part of Joe Paterno’s legacy Without the things he instilled in us: Dedication Being part of something bigger than yourself There’s a great amount of us that still carry on Joe’s legacy and will continue to do so you’re trying to eliminate the past and everything he stood for You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach.” McGloin ended by quoting one of Paterno’s most famous lines “Success without honor is an unseasoned dish McGloin isn’t alone in wanting Penn State to name its field after Joe Pa Trustee and noted Paterno supporter Anthony Lubrano stated during Monday’s meeting that many see naming the field after sponsor as “the day the music died.” It will be an issue Penn State fans will debate until the end of time Enter your email address to get notifications of new posts by email 0 Keep up to date with the latest news surrounding Penn State sports in today’s Penn State daily Update (8:00 a.m.)— **Penn State receivers coach.. That’s what Penn State football fans can say  Monday after Fox lead color commentator.. 0 One of Penn State football’s top transfer portal targets has set his official visit date It was reported late last weekend that former.. 0 It’s no secret Penn State wanted to address its wide receiver room as the main area of concern following the 2024 season As a result, the trustees' meeting became a "referendum" regarding Paterno, as one trustee said. Penn State trustee and former Nittany Lions quarterback Matt McGloin voted no telling the board that "you’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach." an All-American linebacker who played for Paterno said that he appreciated West Shore Home's gift but reluctantly voted against the proposal "I’m a proud product of the Grand Experiment And no matter where you stand on this issue you can’t deny that there are a large number of alumni who believe that Joe was mistreated and naming the field [for Paterno] was a way to make things right," Short told trustees "I believe that Penn State has a bright future and the future is much more important than the past But I don’t believe we can reach our full potential by simply telling our alumni to move forward." who made the comment about this being a "sad and sobering day added that Penn State was "about to sell our souls and turn our backs on two people who gave so much to this institution: Joe and Sue Paterno." "It’s just frustrating that this is becoming a referendum on how we feel about Joe Paterno because I think that’s wrong," trustee Naren Gursahaney said In presenting the plan to Penn State trustees, Athletic Director Pat Kraft said that West Shore Home made a "game-changing gift" that will help the athletic department pay for the $700 million Beaver Stadium renovation donor to the university and major supporter of the athletic department's NIL initiatives The $50 million gift put Penn State over $130 million in contributions for the Beaver Stadium renovation nearly 98 percent of the fundraising goal the university established in 2024 "As the committee contemplates this submission and the honorific naming of the field at Beaver Stadium it is imperative to deliberately discern the historical implications of a decision to not act," the document reads "In an era where the allure and perceived need for commercial sponsorship is insatiable naming the field merely for cash would leave the act bereft of its authentic meaning anddilute the historical contributions of one of Penn State's greatest builders." Penn State Policies defines the procedures for naming university facilities Kraft said Monday that no other group had gone through the formal naming proposal process Lubrano on Monday tried to reintroduce the resolution he withdrew last year but Penn State Trustees Chair David Kleppinger denied the motion saying that it's "inconsistent with the naming protocols that the university has at this time." Kraft told the board that he began discussions with West Shore Home and Weryzn in 2024 about suite options at Beaver Stadium Those discussion grew into a "much larger partnership" which became the naming rights deal "This is the option we have in front of us," Kraft said of the West Shore Home offer "There's a bunch of things you can do Some trustees said that Penn State could have raised more money than the $50 million gift by naming the field for Paterno. Penn State's deal with West Shore Home averages $3.3 million per year. By comparison, according to Sports Business Journal the University of Washington averages $4.1 million per year for Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium and Georgia Tech averages $2.75 million annually for Bobby Dodd Stadium at Hyundai Field Ohio State's two-year deal for with Safelite AutoGlass for field naming rights was worth $2.5 million annually Though trustees didn't present specifics regarding donations or their financing plan some did suggest that fundraising for Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium would have been more effective "Last year I put forth a proposal that naming Joe and Sue Paterno Field is worth $260 million so I can’t support selling cheap," trustee Ted Brown said please let some of us trustees raise $100 million or more." If we agree to Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium we'll raise hundreds of millions of dollars." Penn State's board approved the proposal for West Shore Home at Beaver Stadium by a vote of 22-8 McGloin and former Penn State football player and coach Jay Paterno Those who spoke in favor of Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium said that alumni and fans should have a voice in the process "We’ve never had a debate or discussion publicly about a matter of great public interest — that is the naming of the field after the Paternos," Lubrano said "It’s incumbent upon us to have that conversation I wish someone would explain that to the public so they understand as well." "You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach," McGloin told the board "And what’s happening now may look like a successful move but I don’t believe it’s a very honorable one." former Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti an associate development director for the Nittany Lion Club said that the best way to honor Paterno would be to "go win a national title." Certain his legacy isn’t about a name on a field—it’s about what we do on it and the impact we make outside the lines IMO best way to honor him is to go win a national title The Paterno family knows a thing or two about college football The All-Out Pressure of College Football’s New Era” in September 2024 The book explored college football’s intense and fast-evolving landscape Paterno delved into the pressures that coaches and administrators face as the stakes grow higher each season Due to his experience with college football Paterno looked inside the new recruiting pressures He also reflected on how much college football has changed since he left coaching “It did not change much the first several years I was out,” he told Onward State “Since the last three years when the NIL law passed in California and the number of lawsuits the NCAA has lost many fans and coaches view the movement as a negative change while Paterno was torn on whether it will benefit the sport or not “I think some of this is positive and that student-athletes have more ability to advocate for themselves and make some money and things like that,” he said “I think it’s also a negative in that it’s created a lot of instability.” Some may argue that the instability that comes with NIL starts with schools competing with each other Paterno elaborated on the effects of NIL on colleges and the players “I think one of the things that this book talks about is the pressures on the student-athletes that come with these new things,” he said “The thing that this book delves into is a good chunk of it is the mental health issues that players now face with all these pressures as they are responsible not only for team performance but also for supporting players through these evolving challenges Paterno shed light on the urgent need for mental health resources and support systems that address the holistic needs of student-athletes advocating for a more balanced and compassionate approach to college sports in this new era “I think this is going to have to land in a place where there is collective bargaining so that the schools and the players are both on an equal footing,” Paterno said “There are some rules that are in place that everybody has to adhere to without collective bargaining and representation.” He also emphasized the need for light to be shown on women’s sports “What does revenue sharing look like for women’s sports?” Paterno said “As you start to look down the road at what women’s basketball is doing was a legendary college football coach at Penn State where he served as head coach for an unprecedented 46 years where he became the winningest college football coach in Division I history Joe Paterno was known for his deep commitment to education and the development of student-athletes His focus on the academic and personal success of his players helped shape a culture where student-athletes were encouraged to prioritize their studies When asked what he thinks his father would do in this situation Paterno said he would have been ahead of the curve when this looked like it was going to happen I think he would have been somebody to advocate ‘Let’s figure this thing out before we get into the court,'” Paterno said “I think he would have been ahead of the curve in that regard and he would probably be advocating those kinds of things right now so that there is a national solution and create a level playing field for every school.” “He was always an advocate for student-athletes and for us doing as much as we possibly could for student-athletes because he understood that they were the reason that we’re here but he would have really pushed to make sure that the education piece stayed in place,” he continued Penn State football is aiming to compete in the new 12-team College Football Playoff format this season some may question if they can compete for a national championship in the modern era of the sport “I think at the end of the day to win the whole thing you need a group of guys that are all on the same page and you need a real team concept,” Paterno said “I think you’re seeing that with the way they’re playing right now.” Paterno’s book is available on Amazon Alex is a second-year Journalism major from Sarasota, Florida. Alex is a huge Tampa Bay sports fan and even has a cat named Kucherov. You can contact her at [email protected] and an interception during the 2023 season Previously private minutes from Wednesday night’s meeting show what happened behind closed doors Take two shots every time the announcers mention it’s the first time Penn State is in the Frozen Four Liberal ArtsPaterno Fellow Owen Perry embraces family legacy of helping othersAs a fourth-generation Penn Stater Perry is forging his own path while honoring his family’s commitment to education and excellenceOwen Perry is a Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar in the College of the Liberal Arts and Smeal College of Business a third-year student double-majoring in global and international studies and finance Penn State is more than just a university — it is a family tradition rooted in education hard work and a shared commitment to excellence “Both of my parents are academic advisers here at Penn State but have had very different experiences between the two of them,” said Perry while my dad is a first-generation Penn Stater It just goes to show that it doesn’t matter what your background is everyone is able to connect over the shared love for Penn State.” is an academic adviser in the College of the Liberal Arts is the assistant dean for academic services in the Donald P “The passion both of my parents have for the University is evident in their concern and attention to detail when they work with students — it was a major factor in why I fell in love with Penn State,” Perry said His first memory of Penn State was tailgating with his family before the 2011 football game between Penn State and the University of Alabama Even though the Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar was always positive he wanted to attend Penn State Perry’s academic areas of focus were not as clear cut After considering an engineering major throughout high school he eventually realized he wanted to pursue a more people-oriented focus and entered Penn State with the intent to major in business administration and political science After taking numerous liberal arts classes and exploring different fields he selected his two current majors that combine his love for math and working with people He also added a French and Francophone studies minor “I started taking liberal arts classes and immediately knew I was in the right place,” Perry said “I enjoyed reading the news every day and learning about different parts of the world I loved learning about the intersection of culture so the global and international studies major just felt perfect.” Even though both of Perry’s parents are academic advisers at the University they have taken a step back when it comes to guiding their son’s academic journey Rather than acting as his personal advisers they trust him to navigate his own path while always being there for support when needed “They’ve always made it clear that they’re here if I need advice but they also know I’m capable of figuring things out on my own,” Perry said “It’s the perfect balance of support and independence.” Perry intends to combine the skills he has gained in both majors as a global markets sales and trading analyst intern for Bank of America in New York City He explained that leaning on the soft skills he learned in the College of the Liberal Arts will be incredibly helpful with building relationships and maintaining cultural sensitivity “Finance built the hard skills necessary for the internship but Liberal Arts allowed me to hone in on the necessary soft skills such as understanding how to interpret research communicate effectively and be curious,” Perry said Within the College of the Liberal Arts, Perry works as a peer adviser in the Office of Academic Advising an experience he said has been fundamental in his college career he meets with Liberal Arts students to help them schedule courses find ways to get involved at Penn State and connect with resources in the college and University he has gained immense leadership experience as well as communication and collaboration skills “All of us peer advisers are very close,” Perry said “Having this community makes all of our work so effective We all have such unique backgrounds but share a love for the College of the Liberal Arts and a passion for education and helping others.” Perry explained that it is easy to share his love for the College of the Liberal Arts with other students due to the unmatched experiences he has gained through his major and through Liberal Arts Student Services He said the flexibility and unique programs within the college have elevated his education and have sparked a love for learning “You’re able to have such a wide area of study while still being able to specialize in something you love,” Perry said “The College of the Liberal Arts really encourages you to be a learner rather than just studying to pass an exam.” Perry is currently studying abroad in Paris He originally chose Paris simply because it felt like the best fit for gaining fluency in French “I will say I have since fallen in love with the atmosphere quality of life and definitely the food,” Perry said and I just look forward to continuing to integrate myself into the Parisian community.” Perry received enrichment funding through the Liberal Arts Career Enrichment Network to support his education abroad experience this semester as well as his fall 2024 internship with the Center for the Business of Sustainability in the Smeal College of Business “Enrichment funding in both situations greatly alleviated the financial pressures of taking on each respective out-of-classroom experience which I believe conveys the college’s commitment to making those opportunities possible for all students within the college.” Perry has also felt support from the Paterno Fellows Program in the College of the Liberal Arts “The great thing about the Paterno Fellows Program is it provides a great backbone and structure that encourages students to excel and push themselves It can be hard in a regular environment to approach a professor about a research opportunity apply for that leadership position you’re not sure you’re cut out for or take the more rigorous class at the risk of a higher workload,” Perry said defined goal with the necessary support to reach that goal which makes it that much easier to take those risks and strive to succeed.” In addition to the Center for the Business of Sustainability, Perry’s involvements in the Smeal College of Business include the Penn State Asset Management Group and Sapphire Leadership Academic Program Perry is also in the University’s Presidential Leadership Academy Perry explained that the people within Penn State have taught him the most important lessons gave him one of the most valuable pieces of advice that he still adheres to “He told me that the greatest gift that Penn State offers is the unique opportunity to try something new on any given day,” Perry said “I’ve really tried to lean into that and push myself out of my comfort zone I’ve found a way to shake things up and connect with different communities and people each day.” With Donald Trump’s impending rally here at Penn State on Saturday I thought it might be a good time to reflect on leadership and on values I want to mention that Donald Trump and I do agree on something In 2012 Louis Freeh issued a now-debunked report that contained no evidence and intentionally erred in casting blame on Joe Paterno Donald Trump made a series of Tweets defending Joe.  I wrote a letter thanking him for those Tweets and he sent me a letter in reply That letter has since been published by him in a book of letters Donald Trump will be on the Penn State campus A friend called asking about his recent mention of now-deceased Arnold Palmer in Latrobe and wondered if and what he might say about Joe He went on to ask what my father would say or think about all of this.  we should hope that campaign rallies and events focus on issues and the future.  it is nearly impossible to speak for the dead when considering what we might hear from people who’ve passed the lessons of their lives are instructive.  two parents and five children donned in pajamas knelt together We started a series of prayers first by saying “Good night aunties and uncles and everybody in the whole world.”  (Note: George is my younger brother’s first name The last line blessing everyone reflected a universal recognition of a shared humanity an inclusionary outlook on the world born of life experience Our father grew up in Brooklyn and many of his formative years were in the 1930s The United States was just a few years from laws enacted in the 1920s to limit or ban immigrants from Asia and Eastern Europe and Italy Xenophobic discrimination against Italians was very real in his youth he returned to enroll to play football at Brown University There was only one fraternity that would take him And when a Jewish student wanted to join his fraternity one brother kept putting a black ball in the secret voting box Joe concocted the plan to force that brother to either admit his antisemitism or shut up thereby allowing the Jewish student to join Lombardi was often passed over for head coaching jobs.  I’m Italian and I’m not good-looking.”  Eventually both Lombardi and Joe got their chances It is easy to think of the head coaches they became without realizing the years spent overcoming the prejudices of their time Even after he became a head coach at Penn State there were rumors whispered amid great success Rumors alleged that mafia connections were paying off officials to fix games for him kept his mouth shut and let the quiet resentment drive him to work even harder I share this not to claim a mantel of victimhood for Joe Paterno but rather to explain his view of what America can and should be It explains what he and my mother passed on to the people in their lives He set standards of excellence in the classroom and on the field Opportunity meant high demands and expectations for players of all backgrounds the football huddle was an artistic masterpiece; strong proud young men standing muddied and bloodied from the competition bound together by a love for one another united in common cause His vision of leadership was building not bullying We stand tallest when we bend to lift others The sum of our humanity will always be greater than the individual parts It was the extension of a welcoming outstretched hand and not a clenched fist He believed that we should define ourselves by what we stand for and not what we stand against We build the greater good through the concept of “E Pluribus Unum” from the many That was done not by an insistence that only one way was the right way He had quotes from Lincoln taped to his desk blotter that referred to “the better angels of our nature” and “faith let us to the end do our duty as we understand.” He and his wife built libraries to fill with books No future is secure without an understanding of the past.  It was patriotic to question the conventional wisdom In his book “Football My Way,” written in 1971 he expressed an understanding of college students and the anti-war movement They don’t want to fight a war that our country has had trouble justifying I’d hate to be a 19- or 20-year-old kid and have to go to Vietnam.” He was a true believer in judging people by “the content of their character.” He stood firm against prejudice and racism he understood how some came to those views and had the courage to try to change hearts shaded by fear or hardened by hatred At a restaurant in State College in the earliest days after 9/11 a group of Muslim students entered and sat down Around the room there were stares and tension Joe approached the students and asked how they were doing to put them at ease That act bore witness to the Christian ideals of welcoming the stranger In 2002 he was asked why the team did not have the American flag on their helmets and he said “The only thing we have to prove is what have we done to make America better; what do we stand for day in and day out Coaching was about education and about service Winning in life was measured by what you did for others Sue has given her soul to Special Olympics holding the athletes in her heart as if they were her own children.   It stands in stark contrast to what passes for leadership and values today Autocratic rule is the organizational flow chart in organizations and boards in far too many places Demeaning others is how some build themselves up We measure ourselves not by what we do for others people seeking validation by artificial means.  It meant standing for those values even as the breezes of the latest whims became howling tempest winds We stand for what is right and against what is wrong These are the examples of life that are enduring and instructive At Penn State we cheer “We Are Penn State.” WE are –not I or me.  It wasn’t a prayer to win; it wasn’t a prayer asking God to favor us over our opponents.  It is a non-denominational prayer where every pronoun is plural…”WE/US/OUR”.  That is why he picked it Because it is inclusive; it speaks to our common humanity for God to forgive us OUR sins as WE forgive others and to deliver US from evil It is a prayer asking that we provide for all That is what WE learned from the example of his life And as this election turns into the home stretch And while our family all learned from visionary parents I know not what my siblings may do on Election Day But I do know that the lessons of those parents have instilled a set of values and a worldview that guides us still.  when I am asked about what my father’s views may be his life speaks to me and through me.  For me that voice tells me to vote for service over selfishness for the outstretched hand over the clenched fist and for building over bullying That is why my ballot will be marked with a vote for Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz.  After the Penn State Board of Trustees approved the naming of West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium on Monday a group of trustees protested the decision sharing it didn’t benefit the university financially and disrespected the legacy of former football coach Joe Paterno and Brandon Short — voted against the measure to name the field at Beaver Stadium while others were close with Joe Paterno and his wife “Given the great public interest around the naming of the field at Beaver Stadium I believe we should pause to explore other possibilities including Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium,” Lubrano said at the board meeting We agree to Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium and we will raise hundreds of millions of dollars.” Lubrano doubled down on that statement in an interview with Onward State noting the naming of Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium would raise at least $250 million for the athletic department The West Shore Home Field measure will raise $50 million for Penn State Athletics over the next 15 years with the plan frontloaded to offload some of the debt Penn State will take on to pay for $700 million Beaver Stadium renovations Lubrano’s sentiments were shared by other trustees trustee Ted Brown referenced a proposal he previously put forth to honor Joe Paterno Brown’s proposal called for campaigning on naming Beaver Stadium’s field and putting together a field naming ceremony on a fall bye weekend for the football program The proposal also called for selling tickets to the field naming ceremony for $1,000 and campaigning on the university’s willingness to embrace the Paternos which Penn State has been hesitant to do since Joe Paterno was fired in the wake of the 2011 Sandusky scandal Brown’s plan of selling those tickets to an at-capacity Beaver Stadium would pay for at least $110 million while campaigning to high-level and grassroots donors would scrape away at the other $100 million-plus total “Those people who have stepped away would see a sincere effort on the part of the university to recognize to contributions of Joe Paterno,” Lubrano said “It’s about time we stood up for the institution that made us and the people we are.” “We have options that could bring in significantly more revenue that would have allowed us to show respect for our alums and our fans…to show respect for their concerns and their wishes and to build goodwill with all those folks,” trustee Barry Fenchak said “That goodwill you build up that leads to more revenue moving forward…and of course the opportunity to do the opportunity to do the right thing by Joe and Sue Paterno.” Fenchak added that by approving Monday’s proposal Penn State missed out on the opportunity to find better revenue streams both from a Paterno Field proposal or other means When Fenchak raised his concerns to the full board Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Pat Kraft said the West Shore Home proposal was what the administration had to offer “We chose one that provided less money and all those other things got kicked to the curb,” Fenchak said “I don’t think it’s in the best interests of the university.” Multiple trustees told Onward State they felt Penn State’s administration has expressed hesitation in naming anything after Joe Paterno due to expected negative backlash from folks outside the university Each of the trustees who spoke with Onward State said that shouldn’t be a concern “I may not have the personal knowledge of some with issues that were discussed publically at the meeting but I feel that we need to prioritize our concerns in carrying out our fiduciary duty toward those who are important to this institution,” Fenchak said “The people whose concerns we should have at the top of mind as we’re executing our fiduciary duty.” “The outside isn’t really my concern My concern is really those within the Penn State community,” Lubrano said Joe is a senior journalism major at Penn State and Onward State's managing editor. He writes about everything Penn State and is single-handedly responsible for the 2017 Rose Bowl. If you see him at Cafe 210, please buy him a Miami pitcher. For dumb stuff, follow him on Twitter (iamjoelister). For serious stuff, email him ([email protected]) Bastian-Brown was crowned the 2025 American Honey Queen in January The university encouraged students to avoid Pi Kappa Alpha OutreachJay Paterno Professor Christenson talk NIL and NCAA on WPSUThe show will air at 8 p.m. UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — WPSU invites viewers and listeners to send in their questions for a special conversation with guests Jay Paterno, author of BLITZED! The All-Out Pressure of College Football’s New Era and Penn State Professor Brett Christenson coordinator for Smeal Sports Business Program The program will be moderated by Broadcast News Veteran Carolyn Donaldson and the conversation will center around Name Image and Likeness (NIL) policies and the effects on the NCAA “The positive is that the student-athletes will be able to monetize their name The negative consequences are jumping from school to school destabilizes teams and the academic progress for the athletes It adds pressure of financial expectations on top of academic and athletic demands creating stress that can have a negative impact on mental health It also professionalizes the athletes in the fans' minds and changes that dynamic with criticism and trolling on the same social media platforms these athletes use to promote things,” Paterno said “In the near future there will be attempts by the schools and conferences to try to regulate NIL and bring it in house with the goal is to make the process more transparent to ensure that there is a fair market value being paid Those attempts will likely face more litigation.” Christenson added that protocols for NIL are still being developed “The NIL space is still a fairly new and emerging marketplace and there haven’t been clear and detailed mechanisms for ensuring stability across all stakeholders,” Christenson said “The development of NIL over the next few years will hopefully bring out some agreed-upon patterns for doing business because the impact can be both positive and negative for student athletes for athletics departments and institutions Viewers and listeners can submit their own questions in advance by sending them to connect@wpsu.org before March 15 A Conversation on the NIL and NCAA with Jay Paterno and Professor Brett Christenson will air at 8 p.m WPSU-TV, a Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member station serves 24 counties in central Pennsylvania and reaches 515,000 households and WPSU-FM is accessible to more than 450,000 listeners in 13 counties The public media station also includes WPSU Digital Studios which offers original web series that explore science WPSU is a unit of Penn State Outreach That’s according to former Nittany Lions quarterback and current NBC college football analyst Todd Blackledge who said that Joe Pa preferred the creation of an “all-Eastern conference.” “At that time, there were a couple of schools that were in the Big East Conference with basketball. They didn’t want to leave that to start an all-sports conference in the East,” Blackledge told Dan Dakich on his podcast. But I think if he had had his way before that it would have been to do something with all the Eastern schools and make it a power conference in the East.” Penn State abandoned its previous independence in 1990 and after a 7-3 vote from Big Ten presidents was admitted into the conference Paterno won three Big Ten championships in football at Penn State after joining the league and his teams claimed two national championships as an independent in 1982 and 1986 That first title came in the 1983 Sugar Bowl with Blackledge at quarterback as Penn State defeated Herschel Walker and the Georgia Bulldogs Paterno finished Penn State’s all-time winningest football coach with 409 victories and was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007 the NCAA stripped the coach of 111 of those wins as part of its sanctions against Penn State in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal More college football from SI: Top 25 Rankings | Schedule | Teams Follow College Football HQ: Bookmark | Rankings | Picks In a dramatic statement made by President Neeli Bendapudi Monday morning the Penn State Berkey Creamery will halt all production and distribution of its famous Peachy Paterno ice cream flavor “Peachy Paterno ice cream will no longer be made or advertised by the Berkey Creamery as the university looks forward to moving on from any potentially harmful history surrounding the ice cream and its namesake,” Bendapudi said Monday “The ice cream flavor is one of the last standing reminders of Penn State’s troubled history involving a few bad apples on that darn football team of ours the dark cloud above this great university will be no more.” The decision came with immediate backlash from those in attendance at the cancellation ceremony taking place in front of the Berkey Creamery as many were seen crying and holding signs promoting the salvation of the beloved flavor Peachy Paterno ranks as one of the Berkey Creamery’s best-selling flavors and was a runaway favorite in this year’s Flavor Madness tournament: a head-to-head battle of the Berkey Creamery’s best ice cream flavors “This was not an easy decision for me to make as I can readily see the student body’s love for this flavor I cannot let this university be plagued by Peachy Paterno ice cream any longer the decision was made,” Bendapudi continued Death By Chocolate is way better anyway.” With no possible appeal or last-second change of heart appearing anytime soon the Peachy Paterno ice cream flavor is officially no more Bendapudi left those in attendance with this final message: “If you are having ice cream problems but the Berkey Creamery’s got 99 flavors and Peachy Paterno ain’t one.” Editor’s note: This story is part of Onward State’s April Fools’ Day series Any quotes were made up for the purpose of this post Brendan is a senior majoring in print and media journalism often complaining about the Pittsburgh Steelers and whoever their quarterback is “I’ll be taking some core principles of the Jedi code and explaining how I have applied them during my time at Penn State.” A variety of draft experts expect Penn State to make a splash in the first round once again I can’t go there and help children directly “Through Steen’s trials and tribulations I found myself doing something I had only ever dreamed of: attending my favorite school watching a national championship caliber team and writing about every second of it.” Liberal ArtsPaterno Fellow blazes trail as student and firefighterPenn State student Kara Stover is a volunteer firefighter at the Alpha Fire Station in State College life is a delicate balance of academics and service The Paterno Fellow and Schreyer Scholar is double-majoring in criminology and psychology and is dedicated to understanding the complexities of crime But her studies don’t stop in the classroom — she is also a firefighter at the Alpha Fire Company in State College Through her coursework and out-of-classroom experiences Stover has found ways to combine her interests in criminology psychology and firefighting to prepare for a career as a fire investigator Stover said she first developed an interest in criminology during high school captivated by shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Mindhunter.” She arrived at Penn State with a clear desire to study criminology but a psychology course in high school sparked her interest in understanding the human mind “I spoke with my academic adviser about possibly double-majoring because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to give criminology up,” Stover said This decision has allowed her to delve deeper into the psychology behind crime Her two academic passions also led her to a summer internship at the Office of District Attorney for Clinton County where she gained an inside perspective on the justice system Shadowing both the district attorney and assistant district attorneys she observed the daily operations of the office and discovered that real-life court cases are often a far cry from TV dramas “I followed along to watch first court appearances sentencings and even juvenile and civil proceedings It gave me an inside peek into our justice system and it is not what you see on TV,” she said dispelling the glamorized notion of a prosecutor’s role Stover said the internship provided valuable insights into the preparation needed for each case helping her to connect the dots between her studies and real-world applications “I was able to see some of the behind-the-scenes including the district attorney approving charges and preparing for sentencing My internship showed me just how much preparation was needed for each case,” she said Stover is continuing to explore her passions through her honors thesis She said being an honors student at Penn State has allowed her to explore her interests in a way that otherwise might not have been possible “My thesis topic of arson is an area I would not have pursued if not for my thesis project," Stover said the more interested I become in my topic.” Not initially admitted to the Schreyer Honors College, Stover at New Student Orientation learned about the Paterno Fellows Program in the College of the Liberal Arts which offers students a pathway to the honors college she pursued the Paterno Fellows requirements eventually securing her place in the honors college “The Paterno Fellows Program has offered me a spot in the honors college which was something I was not sure I would achieve after being initially denied,” Stover said “I was so fortunate to be able to prove myself to the college and earn my spot.” Stover’s path as a firefighter began at home while her brother’s involvement piqued her interest at an early age there was a fire down the street from my house and I wanted to go with him to help out any way that I could she joined Alpha Fire Company in State College and was recently promoted to rescue lieutenant she is tasked with teaching newer members the techniques that are used within the rescue company “It also means that people look to me for leadership — both in the station and while on calls — and as someone they can look up to within the company," she said Stover embraces a daily routine that combines training and the challenge of balancing homework along with classes,” Stover said Grateful for the supportive environment at the station “There’s this understanding around the station that we’re students first and that firefighting can’t always be at the top of our priorities.” Stover acknowledged the role of academic scholarships in making her education possible With her family agreement that she would fund her own tuition “I genuinely do not know what I would do without them,” she said This financial support has allowed Stover to focus on her studies and her work with Alpha Stover’s work as a firefighter and her academic path have opened new doors for her future blending her skills in criminology and psychology with a deep commitment to public service She said she's considering fire investigation as a potential career a path that would allow her to unite her academic background and real-world experience in a meaningful way She’s also considering law school but remains open to new possibilities “My work as a firefighter has shown me that it is something I would like to continue as long as possible," Stover said "whether it be volunteering or staying active in some form or another.” Stover said she has had to step out of her comfort zone and embrace the challenges that come with balancing multiple roles “I came from a small town where my graduating class was smaller than some of my classes here,” she said Stover has made some of her closest friends and found a strong support network that has enriched her Penn State journey She said her experience is a testament to what it means to live with purpose and give back shaping her future with every step she takes Liberal ArtsPaterno Fellows to host panel on 'the future of democracy' Nov Allen (left) and Nathan Crick (right) are two leading scholars of rhetoric and democracy UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — The Paterno Fellows Program will host “The Future of Democracy and the Humanities in an Age of Catastrophes” from 3 to 4:30 p.m In the return of the Paterno Fellows Contemporary Issues Forum two leading scholars of rhetoric and democracy will contemplate how the ideas habits and practices associated with the humanities and with democratic culture can help us tackle the problems we face today “It's vital that we as a University community — and as Paterno Fellows — consider the challenges we face in attempting to sustain a democratic culture today,” said Jeremy Engels Barry Director of the Paterno Fellows Program and professor of communication arts and sciences “I'm hopeful that these leading scholars can contribute to the important conversation on campus about our obligations as citizens associate professor of rhetoric at Northern Arizona University professor of communication at Texas A&M University Allen is an associate professor of rhetoric and digital media studies in the Departments of English and Politics and International Affairs at Northern Arizona University His scholarship and translations explore the usefulness of rhetorical theory for scholars across the humanistic disciplines Allen’s current book manuscripts focus on how constitutions might be written to promote democracy after disaster and on truth and witnessing in an era of staggered collapse Nathan Crick is a professor of rhetoric at Texas A&M University where he studies the role of rhetoric in the dynamic relationship between permanence and change he investigates the rhetorical character of the arts and journalism within specific moments of history characterized by disruptions in the structures of power Recent work has explored the contemporary relevance of Machiavelli to modern politics and the rhetorical challenges presented by climate change and technology “We are also excited that the event will be moderated by two Paterno Fellows: Casey Sennett and Taran Samarth,” Engels said “It's my goal as director to empower our Paterno Fellows to lead and this is just one of the many ways we are trying to do that.”  Sennett is quadruple-majoring in anthropology She also has double minors in classics and ancient Mediterranean studies and global and international studies and is working on her master of arts degree in anthropology through an integrated undergraduate-graduate degree program Samarth is quadruple-majoring in sociology philosophy and mathematics with a minor in statistics the rise of authoritarianism and normalization of political violence has sent global democracy spiraling," Samarth said "Ira and Nathan are two of many leading humanists grappling with the question of the coming decade — why is democracy dying Additional event sponsors include the Center for Democratic Deliberation, the Humanities Institute, the Rock Ethics Institute, and University Libraries The Paterno Fellows Program is an innovative program offered jointly by the College of the Liberal Arts and Schreyer Honors College that encourages students to challenge themselves academically and distinguish themselves in areas traditionally associated with the liberal arts: ethics and leadership; excellence in communication; and intercultural awareness Fellows receive financial support to participate in enriching out-of-classroom experiences like internships Abby Drey / Centre Daily TimesThis story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown STATE COLLEGE — Leaders of Penn State’s Board of Trustees recently admonished fellow Trustee Anthony Lubrano for creating a “public spectacle” and sharing “confidential information” related to his proposal to name the university’s football field after Joe Paterno Board chair Matthew Schuyler and vice chair David Kleppinger suggested Lubrano should have instead raised the matter for discussion and deliberation during a private executive session — an action that likely would have run afoul of the state’s open meetings law “You chose not to take that opportunity,” Schuyler and Kleppinger wrote in the March 28 letter “Your public statement and withdrawn proposal were not only a distraction from the business and academic matters on the Board’s agenda for the February 16th meeting they reflected poorly on the Board as a whole and therefore were not in the best interest of the institution.” The exchange again raises concerns about whether the Board of Trustees properly follows Pennsylvania’s open meetings law in conducting its business. Under state law executive sessions can only be held to discuss pending or current litigation Melissa Melewsky — media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association of which Spotlight PA is a member — said the letter “illustrates a fundamental misunderstanding and potential misuse of executive sessions.” “An issue like what to name the football [field] is not an executive session subject matter and should not be discussed anywhere other than a public meeting,” Melewsky said and the exceptions are narrowly written and should be narrowly applied.” said in an interview with Spotlight PA that Penn State officials wanted to silence any public discussion of the former football coach Now board leaders are trying to control his behavior “They think that it’s in the best interest of the university for there never to be any public dissent,” Lubrano said A Penn State spokesperson said via email that the university could not respond to questions from Spotlight PA because of an ongoing lawsuit between the newsroom and the university over alleged violations of the open meetings law by the Board of Trustees The board “stands firm in its commitment to openness and transparency as required by the Pennsylvania Sunshine Act,” the spokesperson wrote Joe Paterno was Penn State’s head football coach for 45 years and won two national championships The board fired him in November 2011 during the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse and sentenced to up to 60 years in prison Several top university officials were later convicted of misdemeanor child endangerment The trustees held two private meetings in January — a Jan 29 “executive session” — to discuss the idea of naming the football field after Paterno At the board’s public February meeting, Lubrano proposed “Paterno Field at Beaver Stadium” and a day to honor the longtime coach and his wife, Sue. Lubrano rescinded the resolution following a statement by fellow trustee and Paterno’s son In March, Lubrano told 98.7 FM that the board’s private meetings in January included former Penn State general counsel Frank Guadagnino Penn State leaders expressed concern that naming the football field after Paterno would jeopardize the university’s accreditation and corporate sponsorships In their letter, Schuyler and Kleppinger said Lubrano shared “confidential information” during the radio appearance and a Feb. 16 interview with WJAC According to the board’s governing documents Penn State defines “confidential information” as any information about the university that is not public the board marked its 2022 trustee retreat schedule as confidential according to records obtained by Spotlight PA The Sunshine Act does not require that conversations held in executive sessions remain confidential a director or board member may have a duty to speak openly if they feel the executive session rules are being improperly applied to thwart public disclosure “They were absolutely in the know every step of the way And that’s what’s disheartening to me,” he said in the interview with Spotlight PA Penn State, in a filing last month said Spotlight PA’s lawsuit included “unsupported vague allegations and bald conclusions of law.” The university maintains that it follows the law The case is ongoing in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas SUPPORT THIS JOURNALISM and help us reinvigorate local news in north-central Pennsylvania at spotlightpa.org/donate/statecollege. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability and public-service journalism that gets results We grant elected officials extraordinary power when we give them our vote which means we must demand extraordinary accountability once they are in office That’s why Spotlight PA’s reporting is more important than ever with no political agenda or opinion pieces allowing us to prioritize investigative and public-service journalism that gets results If you’re looking for a meaningful way to make a difference in these uncertain times I can’t think of a better investment than Spotlight PA’s truthful trusted reporting for Pennsylvania — journalism that gets real results Your tax-deductible support of any amount will ensure our vital work can continue Sign up for PA Post to understand what's happening across PA - in less than five minutes a day © 2025 Spotlight PA. This site is powered by Netlify Centre Daily Times FileThis story was produced by the State College regional bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom dedicated to investigative and public-service journalism for Pennsylvania. Sign up for our north-central Pa. newsletter, Talk of the Town, at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/talkofthetown Update: A trustee introduced a resolution to name the field after Paterno at the board’s Feb. 16 meeting, but quickly withdrew it after objections. STATE COLLEGE — Penn State trustees and high-ranking university representatives met privately twice in January to discuss whether to name the football field at Beaver Stadium after former coach Joe Paterno according to three people with direct knowledge of the conversations The meetings potentially violate a state law that requires governing bodies to conduct business in public view, and continue a decadelong pattern of the board convening behind closed doors A group of trustees are pushing to name the football field after Paterno while board and university officials are hesitant who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak openly about the discussions The board fired Paterno in 2011 during the fallout of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal A statue of Paterno outside the football stadium was removed and the NCAA vacated more than 100 wins from Paterno’s record and Paterno holds the record for most wins in NCAA football history with 409 16 for a “briefing” on the matter — a gathering not previously disclosed to the public — and again Jan 29 in “executive session,” according to the sources The meetings were held behind closed doors to avoid public discussions on the topic an unnamed Penn State spokesperson wrote via email: “​​The Administration and the Board of Trustees have embarked on numerous change initiatives based on President Bendapudi’s vision and goals and are focused on these priorities to continue to provide a world-class academic and student experience for years to come.” The university’s board is required under state law to deliberate its decisions in public The law does allow groups to hold private executive sessions but only to discuss specific topics — pending or current litigation The Penn State spokesperson wrote of the Jan 16 gathering that “counsel conducted this privileged informational briefing and no deliberation occurred.” The spokesperson added that trustees discussed “confidential and privileged matters” during their Jan 29 executive session and that the private meeting was legal under the law’s exemptions Discussing whether to name something after a former coach likely does not fall under any of the executive session requirements media law counsel for the Pennsylvania NewsMedia Association “The public is entitled to see how decisions are made “That’s why deliberation is expressly required to be public.” Spotlight PA, in partnership with the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, sued the trustees in December for alleged violations of the Sunshine Act The suit argues the trustees illegally conducted public business in private University officials contend they have always followed the law and the suit is pending in the Centre County Court of Common Pleas According to the three people familiar with the Paterno discussions some trustees and university leaders have argued that now is not the right time to honor the former coach Paterno was Penn State’s head football coach for 45 years and won two national championships until the board fired him in November 2011 during the Sandusky scandal Former university President Graham Spanier and former vice president Gary Schultz also served jail time related to the scandal Spanier was convicted of child endangerment Curley and Schultz pleaded guilty to the same offense One of Penn State’s libraries is named after Paterno and his wife, Sue. The university also continues the Paterno Fellows Program, and the former coach has a plaque on Penn State football’s “Wall of Honor.” Whether the board would pass a proposal to honor the former coach is unclear. Such a move would likely first need to be approved by the board’s finance committee, which oversees “the honorific naming of buildings and roads,” according to the board’s bylaws The committee is scheduled to vote on renaming a chemistry building at its meeting today Penn State’s full board is scheduled to meet Friday the public learned of the horrific sexual-abuse crimes committed by former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky In addition to Sandusky's conviction and imprisonment three high-ranking Penn State administrators received jail time and the winningest coach in major college football history Paterno died of lung cancer in January 2012 74 days after Penn State fired him for his role in Sandusky's crimes the stunning and sudden end to Paterno's 61-year coaching career continues to divide the Penn State community and beyond are still reckoning with what he did and what school officials did after that E60's presentation of "The Paterno Legacy" is available on ESPN+. Watch now» ESPN recently interviewed key surviving figures from the most wrenching period in Penn State's history to see how they want to reconsider Paterno's legacy a decade later Initially identified in court documents as "Victim 1," Aaron Fisher was the first survivor of Sandusky's sexual abuse to come forward Fisher's decision as a 15-year-old to speak with detectives about Sandusky's serial sexual abuse launched a police investigation that spanned more than three years and led to criminal charges that would land Sandusky in prison for 30 to 60 years -- effectively a life sentence Fisher says his main concern in coming forward was that he "wouldn't be believed." "Silent No More," which chronicles Fisher's experiences meeting Sandusky at a summer camp for The Second Mile when Fisher was in fourth grade the charity he founded in 1977 to help at-risk youth to a Philadelphia Eagles game and eventually invited Fisher over to his home for sleepovers on dozens of occasions where Sandusky then molested him in a basement bedroom and then it just progressively got worse," Fisher told ESPN When Fisher first reported Sandusky's sexual abuse Sandusky was serving as a volunteer assistant football coach at Fisher's high school in Mill Hall When Sandusky was dismissed as an assistant word filtered through the small community that it was because of Fisher's report Fisher said he received threatening notes and that he and his mother's cars were "keyed." He says his concern for his safety only grew on the November 2011 evening that Joe Paterno was fired by Penn State's board of trustees Aaron Fisher was the first to report that he was the victim of sexual abuse by Jerry Sandusky. Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty ImagesFisher says his lowest point came when he attempted suicide when he was 15 describing an attempt to hang himself in his closet Fisher is a father of two children and lives in central Pennsylvania He's unemployed but spends time pursuing his hobbies of repairing and customizing cars and off-roading in his Jeep Penn State has paid more than $100 million to at least three dozen people who say they were abused by Sandusky Fisher said he wants to keep Sandusky in the past "There's always the thought that me being sexually abused by Sandusky did in fact happen I don't think of [Sandusky] anymore," he said "There's people out there who are trying to move on with their lives and not be put back in that downstairs basement again I know that's not a single place I want to go Former Penn State president Graham Spanier pulled up his pant leg during an October 2021 interview with ESPN to reveal a monitoring device strapped to his left ankle At the time he remained under home confinement "When I went to have this put on at the probation and parole office speaks with Joe Paterno at a football game in 2011 about a month before the Penn State board of trustees forced Spanier to resign and fired Paterno. AP Photo/Gene PuskarThe Penn State board of trustees forced Spanier to resign on Nov Spanier's role in Sandusky's crimes involved his handling of an incident witnessed by former Penn State quarterback and graduate assistant coach Mike McQueary McQueary first told state investigators in 2010 he went to the locker room inside the Lasch Football Building on Penn State's campus after hours in 2001 heard what sounded like sexual sounds coming from the shower He also told investigators that he brought the shower incident to Paterno's attention the next day Paterno notified then-athletic director Tim Curley but did not call police McQueary would later email state prosecutors in an effort to clarify what he had witnessed "I cannot say 1000 percent sure that it was sodomy," McQueary wrote But he described the incident as "sexual and/or way over the line," details he didn't waver from over the course of his testimony in several different criminal and civil court proceedings Emails made public during the school's internal investigation show that Spanier former vice president of finance and business Gary Schultz and Curley discussed reporting the shower incident witnessed by McQueary to the proper authorities but ultimately decided not to report it at all Curley wrote to Schultz and Spanier: "After giving it more thought and talking it over with Joe .. we want to assist the individual [Sandusky] .. Spanier replied: "The only downside for us is if the message isn't heard and acted upon .. then we become vulnerable for not having reported it." which was initially made public in a November 2011 grand jury presentment became the focal point of the public's anger and led to outcry over the way it was handled by Penn State's leaders Spanier was initially indicted in November 2012 on multiple charges including failure to report suspected child abuse He was convicted in 2017 of one misdemeanor count of child endangerment and sentenced to serve two months in jail who had heart surgery in 2019 and has fought prostate cancer avoided serving his jail sentence until June 2021 He spent 58 days in the Centre County Correctional Facility a roughly 10-minute drive from the university where he served as president from 1995 to 2011 completed serving his period of home confinement in early October saying he was never told Sandusky was seen doing anything of a sexual nature with a minor boy in the shower Penn State has removed most imagery of Spanier and Paterno from its campus: In July 2012 the school took down Paterno's statue from outside Beaver Stadium You can't write us out of Penn State history," Spanier said "They even went through the trouble of re-landscaping the area where [the statue] was so that nobody can tell where it was or that it was ever there Spanier calls the former coach "a humanitarian," adding "He was so much more than a football coach the only reason Joe continued to coach until he was 85 was because of what he could do for the university," including donating to the College of Liberal Arts and to the libraries is retired from his work at the university though he has maintained his president emeritus status and all academic credentials with Penn State "It's a tremendous relief to have that behind me," he said in April "I will continue to do whatever I can to advance the university A self-described Penn State "lifer," Gary Schultz moved to State College in 1967 as a student and never left After a 38-year career in the school's administrative ranks he became vice president of finance and business "I was proud to be affiliated with Penn State," Schultz Schultz and Curley pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment related to their handling of the shower incident reported by McQueary in 2001 so prosecutors agreed to drop three felony charges of child endangerment and conspiracy Schultz and Curley surrendered to authorities at the Centre County Correctional Facility in July 2017 who did not respond to multiple interview requests from ESPN Schultz served a two-month jail sentence in a cell he shared with Curley Gary Schultz pleaded guilty to misdemeanor child endangerment related to his handling of the shower incident reported by Mike McQueary in 2001. AP Photo/Matt RourkeLike Spanier saying Penn State officials "had no report of anything that sounded illegal." Still Schultz described himself as "a belt and suspender kind of guy" and "my biggest regret is that we didn't turn it in for Department of Welfare to investigate it He says the board of trustees "pretty much threw Joe Paterno and the rest of us under the bus at the time." "There are some trustees that I think are very supportive of Joe and doing what they can to correct a narrative that people had bought into at that time But they're the minority and they're generally not in leadership positions Schultz now splits time between a home in Boalsburg relationships he once took for granted have been impacted by the lingering fallout "There were actually some people who I worked with that were ordered not to have any contact with me," he said If I just happened to bump into some of those people on the street they would kind of be knowing that they had to avoid me Jay Paterno has been a member of the Penn State board of trustees for nearly five years. AP Photo/Chris KnightOf Paterno's five children has become the most recognizable public face of the family and perhaps the most frequent defender of his father's legacy While never charged with a crime and with prosecutors saying they did not find evidence that he took part in any effort to conceal Sandusky's child sexual abuse Joe Paterno did not escape the reckoning that came in the months and years that followed his dismissal who was hired by Penn State to conduct an independent investigation into Sandusky released his findings in a 267-page report "Our most saddening and sobering finding is the total disregard for the safety and welfare of Sandusky's child victims by the most senior leaders at Penn State," Freeh said at a news conference on the day his report was released Paterno and Curley repeatedly concealed critical facts relating to Sandusky's child abuse from the authorities Penn State community and the public at large." Jay Paterno points to the fact that prosecutors "said there was no attempt to conceal no conspiracy," he told ESPN in an August 2021 interview It's very difficult to speak for the dead," Paterno said "To believe that [my father] would throw 61 years of professional integrity away for something like this Despite Joe Paterno's firing and the public condemnation that followed the Paterno family has remained an integral part of the Penn State community Jay Paterno has been a member of the Penn State board of trustees for nearly five years is an administrator in the school's College of Liberal Arts is an active fundraiser for the Penn State student food bank and numerous other causes Jay Paterno also highlights the generations of players who were impacted by his father's teachings "His legacy will be the bedrock of the values that were true the integrity with which he lived his life .. a Penn State spokesperson said the school has "no plans for additional honors or a reinstallation of the statue." The 7-foot 900-pound bronze likeness of the coach remains stored in an undisclosed location is an inmate at the State Correctional Institute at Laurel Highlands in Somerset County a low-security geriatric facility for male inmates roughly 100 miles southwest of State College Eight men testified at Sandusky's June 2012 trial that he sexually molested them as minors and prosecutors ultimately presented evidence relating to 10 victims leading to Sandusky's conviction on 45 of 48 counts of child sexual abuse the Pennsylvania Supreme Court has denied Sandusky's appeal for a new trial Sandusky's 30- to 60-year prison sentence was upheld arguing that he received ineffective counsel He won't be eligible for parole until he is 98 HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Penn State and the family of late head football coach Joe Paterno announced Friday they have resolved "outstanding issues" that had divided them eight years after he was fired following Jerry Sandusky's child molestation arrest read by the chairman of the university board at a meeting that it had agreed to pay "certain of the Paterno family's expenses" and wished to move forward "It is time to come together and devote our energies solely to education research and the advancement of one of America's great institutions of higher learning," Paterno's widow The deal ends a lawsuit against the university by the Paternos' son Jay Paterno who is currently a member of the Penn State board Jay Paterno had claimed the university-commissioned report into the case had unfairly tarnished him and made him unable to find work as a football coach Jay Paterno called the agreement "a relief" and "a long time coming." Joe Paterno was a Hall of Fame coach nearing the end of his career when a state grand jury summoned him to testify about Sandusky in early 2011 Sandusky's arrest that year prompted Paterno's firing and the university has paid more than $100 million to people who said they had been abused by Sandusky He was convicted of 45 counts of child sexual abuse in 2012 While Penn State University has reached a financial settlement with members of late head football coach Joe Paterno's family a school spokesman said Friday that are no plans to reinstall the statue of Paterno that was removed in 2012. AP Photo/Gene J PuskarA key witness against Sandusky was Mike McQueary a graduate assistant who recalled seeing Sandusky with a young boy naked in a team shower on a Friday night a decade earlier But police were not called -- even though Sandusky had been criminally investigated in 1998 based on a mother's complaint he had showered with her son Paterno announced he would not coach after the season's end but the board of trustees pushed him out days later along with then-university president Graham Spanier The two administers who fielded McQueary's report through Paterno athletic director Tim Curley and vice president Gary Schultz Paterno's once-sterling reputation took a severe hit from the Sandusky scandal including a decision by the NCAA to void 111 of Paterno's wins effectively ending his status as major college football's all-time winningest coach The university also removed a statue of Paterno outside its football stadium Penn State spokesman Lawrence Lokman said there are no plans to reinstall the statue something Joe Paterno's supporters have sought we've agreed that that would require the mutual approval of the Paterno family," Lokman said Joe Paterno was 85 when he died of cancer-related complications in January 2012 Curley and Schultz later pleaded guilty to a single count of child endangerment and served brief jail terms Sandusky is serving a 30-to-60-year prison sentence Penn State settled with more than 35 people who said they were abused by Sandusky as children making payouts that totaled more than $109 million The school has spent many millions more in costs and fines associated with the case Penn State football icon Joe Paterno went from beloved figure to abhorred outcast 10 years after the Penn State sex abuse scandal a new episode of ESPN E60 looks at The Paterno Legacy The one-hour The Paterno Legacy will premiere on Monday ET on ESPN and will be available afterward via streaming on demand on ESPN+ and the ESPN App He was the winningest coach in major college football history and a two-time national champion He was “Joe Pa,” celebrated as much for the lives he shaped off the field as the wins that he tallied on it Paterno’s legacy was secure – until it wasn’t The allegations of sexual abuse of minors leveled against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky in the fall of 2011 cast a dark shadow on the university The legendary coach was cast out and his legacy The program includes interviews with many who were involved or directly affected by the events of 10 years ago, including Sandusky, who speaks with E60’s John Barr from prison where he is serving a sentence of 30 to 60 years after being convicted in 2012 on 45 counts of child sexual abuse Graham Spanier – former Penn State University president Gary Schultz — former Senior Vice-President Finance and Business Matt McGloin — Penn State player under Joe Paterno Mike Wallace — Penn State player under Joe Paterno Aaron Fisher — “Victim 1” in the Jerry Sandusky sex-abuse case Tom Kline — attorney representing “Victim 5” in Sandusky sex-abuse case Penn State Center for the Study of Sports in Society Howard Bryant — author and sports journalist The Paterno Legacy is produced by Michael Sciallo Other ESPN platforms also will contribute to the storytelling: excerpts will be included in the Tuesday OTL on SC segment in the noon edition of SportsCenter and the Saturday April 16 edition of Outside the Lines (9 a.m. Barr will be a guest on the ESPN Daily Podcast on April 15 and ESPN.com will have a written piece by Barr to accompany the E60 episode the program will re-air multiple times across ESPN Networks and will be available for on-demand viewing on ESPN+ and the ESPN App Media contact: [email protected] Need Photos? Click the logo and sign up for access to the ESPN Images Library A small group of members of the Penn State Board of Trustees proposed naming the field at Beaver Stadium “Paterno Field” and the creation of “Susan P Paterno Day” in fall 2024 in honor of former Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and his wife Sue Paterno during a board meeting on Friday The motion was later rescinded after comments by board member Jay Paterno Trustee Anthony Lubrano put forth a resolution to name the football field at Beaver Stadium “Paterno Field” and to honor Joe Paterno with a “Susan P Paterno Day,” which would be the same day the field would be named Trustee Alvin de Levie seconded the motion after a lengthy speech by trustee and son of Joe Paterno trustee and former Penn State football player Brandon Short delivered an emotional speech decrying what he saw as the use of Joe Paterno’s name for political gain Lubrano began his proposal with a lengthy speech about Joe Paterno’s dedication to the university and both its academic and athletic successes He cited a speech Joe Paterno gave to the board in 1983 when Joe Paterno told the board to better devote its efforts to the school’s academic issues at hand we have reached the moment of truth,” Lubrano said “Are we going to honor two people who have literally given their lives in the pursuit of a better Penn State Are we going to allow fear-mongering to prevail?” Lubrano also cited Franklin Roosevelt’s famous presidential inaugural speech imploring his fellow trustees not to give in to the fear he said was perpetrated by outside influences Lubrano included references to Joe Paterno’s philanthropic efforts toward Penn State and his abilities as a football coach and a leader Lubrano cited the funding of the Joe Paterno Library while also noting the national championships Board of Trustees Chair Matthew Schuyler then opened up discussion on the proposal at which point Jay Paterno spoke for more than 10 minutes about Joe Paterno’s dedication to the university some would argue the time is long overdue to correct the historical record Others think it is not important,” Jay Paterno said “Getting it right is important because that decades-long era of Penn State history was never about one man he’d respect the vision of our president and implore us to do the hard things required for the future of Penn State,” Jay Paterno added Jay Paterno asked the board to delay the proposal to a later date which he noted that he hoped would come soon Lubrano removed the resolution from the discussion gave an impassioned speech about the prior 20 minutes of board discussion saying there were several members of the Board of Trustees who use Joe Paterno’s name to gain power and influence “I’m fortunate here today to serve on this board I support this resolution and support honoring Joe Paterno and honoring Sue and doing everything that we can to honor their name,” Short said “I don’t support continued political stunts in Joe Paterno’s name to say all this and then pull it back is insulting to me I knew nothing about this,” he continued but I would not have supported it brought to this board in this manner People use Joe Paterno’s name to be reelected because that’s what people vote on.” Joe is a senior journalism major at Penn State and Onward State's managing editor. He writes about everything Penn State and is single-handedly responsible for the 2017 Rose Bowl. If you see him at Cafe 210, please buy him a Miami pitcher. For dumb stuff, follow him on Twitter (iamjoelister). For serious stuff, email him ([email protected]) Mohamed Toure and Amare Campbell have already heard from Penn State but what other linebackers could join the Nittany Lions “I have no insider ties to university leadership I’ve never been a rubber stamp for any organization.” a resolution to name Beaver Stadium's field after Joe Paterno prompting a fellow trustee and former Penn State football player to call the move a "political stunt." Near the conclusion of the Penn State Board of Trustees meeting Friday trustee Anthony Lubrano introduced a resolution asking the board to recognize Paterno in two ways: to hold a Joe and Sue Paterno Day this fall and to name the field at Beaver Stadium after the late Penn State football coach Lubrano cited Paterno's work as football coach athletic director and fundraiser at the university and Sue Paterno's philanthropic and humanitarian achievements reserving the option to re-introduce it later A former Penn State linebacker who played for Joe Paterno in the 1990s Short said he supported the resolution to honor the Paternos but called the manner in which it was introduced "insulting." Short added that he was "taken aback" and said that the resolution used the Paterno name as a "political football." support honoring Joe Paterno and honoring Sue and doing everything that we can to honor their name I don't support continued political stunts in Joe Paterno's name," said Short and then pull it back is insulting to me personally Short has been critical of several alumni trustees saying they have been "undermining athletics" by discouraging donors from giving to Penn State coach James Franklin's program or to the NIL initiative Short said that "people are using Joe Paterno's name to be re-elected" as trustees "If you really wanted to do the resolution then put the resolution up and call for [a vote]," Short said "But to put it up and then pull it back means you never wanted it and it doesn't seem like you actually care about it So please stop using Joe Paterno as a political football." The interaction at Penn State's Board of Trustees meeting followed reporting by Spotlight PA that trustees and university officials met twice in January to discuss recognizing Paterno Penn State officials were "hesitant" to name the Beaver Stadium field after Paterno whom the board fired in 2011 after Jerry Sandusky initially was indicted for child sexual abuse there are no plans for additional honors or a reinstallation of the statue." Penn State removed the statue of Joe Paterno from its location outside Beaver Stadium in July 2012 Lubrano said he urged the administration and trustees to "meaningfully recognize the innumerable contributions of Joe and Sue Paterno."  "All of us in this room should be immensely proud of the culture that his thinking helped to create," Lubrano said "Joe Paterno's contributions to this university can never be erased Are we going to honor two people who have literally given their lives in the pursuit of a better Penn State Or are we going to allow fear-mongering to prevail?" Jay Paterno began his remarks by saying this was the first time he has publicly addressed honoring his father Jay Paterno said he prepared his statement after visiting his father's grave Thursday "to gather some thoughts." he'd respect the vision of our president and implore us to do the hard things required for the future of Penn State the things being asked by President [Neeli] Bendapudi," Jay Paterno said "He'd focus on making sure future generations of Penn State graduates can afford their education with a chance to start their post-college years building lives of meaning and service that will swell the fame of Dear Old State He'd be more concerned about improving academic rankings and APR academic football scores than seeing his name on the field." Jay Paterno concluded his statement by "humbly" asking the resolution be held for a future date "upon which time we've charted the course to meet the same vision and shared history of the two people we hope to honor." Jay Paterno said that Sue Paterno is in great healthy and "quite spunky." "I do hope that the future comes sooner rather than later," Jay Paterno said Penn State Football on SI.com Drew Allar named one of college football's top returning quarterbacks Transfers Julian Fleming, Nolan Rucci make smooth transitions to Penn State Ten Nittany Lions headed to 2024 NFL Combine Penn State's Peter Gonzalez wins NFL Latino Youth Honors Penn State begins winter workouts with some shoutouts Penn State begins "major, major" renovation of Beaver Stadium Penn State names letterman Omar Easy to head new NIL initiative called The Brand Academy James Franklin's first 10 Penn State teams, ranked Is it too early to declare Penn State a playoff contender in 2024? AllPennState is the place for Penn State news, opinion and perspective on the SI.com network. Publisher Mark Wogenrich has covered Penn State for more than 20 years, tracking three coaching staffs, three Big Ten titles and a catalog of great stories. Follow him on Twitter @MarkWogenrich And consider subscribing (button's on the home page) for more great content across the SI.com network About 60,000 fans were in attendance in anticipation of head coach Joe Paterno potentially breaking Eddie Robinson’s record to become the winningest coach in Division I college football history There wasn’t much action throughout the game as the temperature and precipitation limited each team’s ability to move the ball effectively The game was a scoreless tie going into halftime but the Fighting Illini struck first with a touchdown in the third quarter Penn State kicker Anthony Fera drilled a 30-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to cut the team’s deficit to four points and Silas Redd rushed for a three-yard touchdown with 1:08 to play in the game The Fighting Illini drove the ball down to Penn State’s 25-yard line, setting themselves up for a 42-yard field goal to send the game to overtime with five seconds left. Illinois kicker Derek Dimke, who hadn’t missed a field goal attempt all year, knocked his kick off the right upright, giving Paterno his 409th win to break Robinson’s record Paterno was fired in the wake of the Sandusky child sex abuse scandal one month after Jerry Sandusky was convicted on 45 counts of child sex abuse Penn State removed the Joe Paterno statue from outside of Beaver Stadium the NCAA imposed heavy sanctions on Penn State football including vacating 111 of Paterno’s wins from 1998 to 2011 to drop him to 12th on the all-time list as a part of a settlement between the NCAA and Penn State the NCAA reinstated Paterno’s last 111 wins moving him back to the winningest Division I college football coach of all time it’s hard not to reminisce over the legendary coach’s time at Penn State With 409 wins and over 45 years as head coach Paterno’s accomplishments on the field speak for themselves his accomplishments off the field were just as impactful to players Once Paterno was appointed head coach of Penn State football in 1966 he began his “grand experiment” — an initiative to blend athletic and academic success It quickly proved to be a success for Paterno with Penn State’s players consistently demonstrating above-average academic success compared to other Division I schools nationwide Even when he was on top of the college football world Paterno helped to set the bar for academic standards in college athletics as he preached “success with honor.” have said they attribute their degrees to Joe Paterno Paterno’s commitment to academics didn’t benefit only the players in the locker room, either, but it benefited every student at Penn State and its surrounding community. After challenging Penn State’s Board of Trustees to push Penn State into becoming a leading academic institution in his 1983 speech donated more than $4 million to the university and helped raise over $13.5 million for the construction of a five-story addition to the Pattee Library The Paternos also donated $1 million to help fund the expansion of Mount Nittany Medical Center in 2009 Paterno’s accomplishments and impact on Penn State should not be forgotten The university has changed massively in the last decade but Paterno’s values of “success with honor” and winning the right way are still upheld in the athletics program and university 409 isn’t just a number that you see on flags and t-shirts while walking through the Beaver Stadium tailgate fields nor is it a number that only signifies Paterno’s wins that made him the winningest coach in Division I college football history The iconic figure signifies the life-long impact he made on countless individuals and Penn State as a whole The 22-year-old was attempting to put out a mulch fire Restaurants and vendors from across the region descended on the Penn Stater Hotel for the Mac ‘n’ Cheese Festival Who’s ready for Ohio State at noon again playFinebaum: Jay Paterno can help Nittany Lions move on (0:57)Paul Finebaum explains why Jay Paterno returning to Penn State as part of the board of trustees can help the school move forward from the Jerry Sandusky scandal that tainted Joe Paterno's legacy Former Penn State assistant coach Jay Paterno the son of longtime Nittany Lions football coach Joe Paterno was elected to the university's board of trustees on Friday who coached at Penn State from 1995 to 2011 and played quarterback there from 1986 to 1990 received the most votes among three alumni trustees elected to three-year terms There are nine alumni among the 36 voting trustees we've been connected with Penn State for more than a century when you add up all the years we've given there," Paterno told ESPN on Friday "We feel very strongly about the university and what it can be There are some challenges at Penn State and in higher education around the country and I thought it was time for me to get involved." Paterno will have a seat on the Penn State board that fired his father on Nov hours after Joe Paterno announced he would retire at the end of his 46th season coaching the Nittany Lions The board fired Joe Paterno and then-university president Graham Spanier amid growing outrage over the school's handling of sexual abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant coach Jerry Sandusky The Paterno family has disputed Joe Paterno's knowledge of the Sandusky allegations and condemned the findings of the Freeh report a university-sanctioned investigation by former FBI director Louis Freeh concluding that the late Penn State coach concealed knowledge of Sandusky molesting young boys Sandusky was convicted of molesting several boys during a 15-year period and was sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison in October 2012 Jay Paterno will serve on the Penn State board of trustees joining the group that fired his father in 2011 amid sexual abuse allegations against Jerry Sandusky. Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesJoe Paterno died of complications from lung cancer on Jan He had a 409-136-3 record as Penn State coach from 1966 to 2011 and guided the Nittany Lions to national championships in 1982 and 1986 In his 2014 book "Paterno Legacy: Enduring Lessons from the Life and Death of My Father," Jay Paterno criticized the board of trustees for the way it fired his father they didn't even try to get in a room with him to talk about how they could all work together to move forward to do what was best for Penn State," Jay Paterno wrote of the board "I resented the fact that they had so little respect for Joe's perspective I resented that they didn't even involve him in helping this school navigate the future I resented the lack of respect for what he had done for this school." Jay Paterno said he'll still be able to work with trustees in making important decisions about Penn State "I want to become a part of the solution from the inside out," Paterno said "I thought it was the best way to be a part of Penn State as we move into the future." who wasn't retained as a coach before the 2012 season considered running for Pennsylvania's 5th Congressional District in October 2013 and briefly ran to be the state's lieutenant governor before withdrawing from the race in 2014 Information from The Associated Press contributed to this report Development and Alumni RelationsAnonymous $25K endowment creates service award in honor of Mary Kay Paterno Hort Award to benefit undergraduates enrolled in the Paterno Fellows Program who demonstrate a strong commitment to service-related activities prospect engagement and operations for principal gifts in Penn State’s Office of University Development and former College of the Liberal Arts alumni relations and development employee was recently surprised by a service award endowment created by an anonymous donor and named in her honor — Inspired by the work of longtime Penn State College of the Liberal Arts alumni relations and development employee Mary Kay Paterno Hort an anonymous donor recently presented the college with a lead gift of $25,000 to create an endowment in honor of Hort for her many years of service and leadership in Liberal Arts Hort departed the college at the end of 2023 to accept the position of director of prospect engagement and operations for principal gifts in the Office of University Development The Mary Kay Paterno Hort Service Award in the Paterno Liberal Arts Undergraduate Fellows Program will invite grant applications from undergraduates enrolled in the Paterno Fellows Program in the College of the Liberal Arts who demonstrate a strong commitment to service-related activities These activities can be completed in conjunction with internships education abroad or other activities required for participation in the Paterno Fellows Program or can be related to personal service projects that benefit the community at large “Mary Kay has always been so aware of what’s important for the college and its alumni and does a wonderful job of carrying on the legacy of her parents “She has done amazing things for Liberal Arts at Penn State always taking into consideration what’s best for the college it wouldn’t be right not to have some sort of recognition of that.”  Hort initially joined the College of the Liberal Arts in the late 1990s working her way from development assistant to assistant director of development before making the decision to stay at home to raise her three children When her youngest began kindergarten in 2005 she accepted the opportunity to return to the college part time she took a position in stewardship which eventually progressed to the role of director of advancement operations I regularly observed my parents’ love of Penn State I’ve come to see Penn State for its ability to improve our world in so many ways,” said Hort “I remember my dad — no matter the situation — would say what’s best for Penn State?’ That mindset was instilled in me and this work is an opportunity to do my small part in making Penn State a better place That’s what philanthropy does; it has the ability to change lives.”  we should find a way to support them in their academic endeavors and future successes I was a first-generation student and paid for the majority of my education I understand the impact a program like this can have on the trajectory of a student’s life I was fortunate to realize my goal to study abroad these students are hardworking high achievers who deserve the chance to pursue their dreams.”   Susan Welch Dean of the College of the Liberal Arts “Mary Kay has been an amazing colleague in the advancement work of our college and I couldn’t think of a more fitting way to thank her for her support of Liberal Arts and our students Her gift of fostering connections with our alumni and donors has enriched the college and made many transformative contributions like this possible This generous gift will serve students of today and continue to leave a lasting legacy.”  Hort said she’s humbled by this recognition and incredibly grateful to the donor she is thrilled the endowment will help to distinguish “some really special and deserving students.”  not all students have the resources to engage in the sorts of courses and activities required for entrance into an honors program,” she said “Paterno Fellows affords those students the same opportunities as their peers My parents encouraged us to discover a sense of personal excellence — always learn I’m proud to be associated with a program that gives these students a chance to pursue that journey for themselves.”   “I remember my dad—no matter the situation—would say That’s what philanthropy does; it has the ability to change lives.” director of prospect engagement and operations for principal gifts in Penn State’s Office of University Development Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker When I arrived at Penn State for my freshman year the residence desk didn’t hand me any Kool-Aid to drink I wasn’t asked at our Class of 2017 orientation to blindly swear allegiance to some university creed I wasn’t forced to offer a blood sacrifice in reverence to our almighty former football coach Some of that may be hard for you to believe If you have watched any form of media in the last seven years There is this word that’s probably floating around in your head: “Cult.” I won’t watch the HBO movie “Paterno” that aired this weekend Every few years when this story resurfaces I watch as my former university’s student body is represented as a one-dimensional group of stooges so awash in their fog of collegiate football that they’re unable to consider the abuse of children as students (and alumni — that’s me) are often blamed for being so football-obsessed that they somehow fostered an environment that allowed for a nightmare to have occurred too blindly devout to statues and win columns to let in a dose of reality So much of this debate happens because some have had the audacity to question the widely accepted culpability of our university as most people I know have crawled into the fetal position and called “uncle.” Some people on our side call it cowardice Why bother offering your position for consideration when the response is always as follows: “Go back to your cult and shower with boys.” particularly the role of our now-deceased coach Why would a coach cover up the sex crimes of a nobody in the program (Jerry Sandusky) in 1971 and 1976 as the news says he did Certainly that decision added risk that his legacy would crumble rather than protecting it against such a possibility would he bother reporting Sandusky to his higher-ups when he already decided to cover it up in the ’70s if Paterno knew about Sandusky’s criminality did he allow his own grandchildren to be around him until just months before his arrest And why are our coach and our university being accused of a cover up when the head of campus police was told when the president of Sandusky’s charity was told and when the attorney Wendell Courtney was told How is it a cover up if an incident was reported to the Department of Public Welfare and when the District Attorney knew about it and stopped an investigation into Sandusky due to a lack of evidence Why did Mike McQueary golf with Sandusky in tournaments for years following what he “saw?” When society collectively agrees to place a muzzle on the group most closely entwined in a story who have the most incentive to take in the nuance and day to day detail I have an inherent bias because I love the university But have we then decided that the moral outrage of people who haven’t read a thing about a case should be prioritized over more in-depth understanding that involves a degree of bias definitive evidence existed that Joe Paterno willingly covered up sex abuse to protect his legacy not a single member of the Penn State alumni would be defending him Despite the media’s attempts to equate fandom with cult-hood we’re the same as every other community We have a great deal of affection for a place that is extraordinarily special to us And if the careful examination of questionable reporting that dragged Penn State through the mud makes me a part of a cult I will not be watching the film. But I have heard the final scene involves Sara Ganim getting a call from a 1976 accuser. Here is what one plaintiff’s lawyer said about the allegation: “The headlines of these stories is Paterno knew of Sandusky’s molestation in the ’70s but I am the first person to believe in our justice system And I think you need more than anecdotal evidence or speculative evidence.” Why did HBO choose to end the film with one of the most unfounded allegations in the entire case Because they know what every Penn Stater has already found out: That the only people who will notice the absurdity of using the 1976 case as the exclamation point of the film have already been delegitimized I’m tired of being incessantly bludgeoned by the moral superiority of people whose deepest research on a complex case includes reading the ESPN text alert that flashed on their phones The tragedy is that this thing won’t turn around from the inside salivating over your next shower joke to put in the comment section We need you to have the compassion to learn about this This post was submitted as community content, and has been lightly edited. The views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of our staff. To have your work published on Onward State, visit our submission page. “What’s funny to me is that after spending so much time telling other people’s stories, I conclude my time here by writing about my own.” Gates will open at 3:30 p.m., and admission is free for students with valid identification. If you bat .300, you’ll be in the Hall of Fame. What about .478? Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); -- The "Paterno people" problem has resurfaced at Penn State No matter how much James Franklin and so many others at Penn State work toward improving the football program's future there remains a group of people associated with the school who are more concerned about the past -- specifically Here's the question for Jay Paterno and Anthony Lubrano: If they were being totally honest A: See Franklin and Penn State win a football national championship in the coming years B: Have Joe Paterno's legacy restored to anything close to where it was before the Sandusky scandal We will never get an honest answer from Jay or Lubrano on that question But I am 100 percent certain that the answer is B -- and it isn't remotely close Does this problem exist at ANY other major college football program counterproductive and you can even say sabotage for key school officials to undermine the current football coach and program by continuing to make headlines because of a ridiculous personal pursuit to right a wrong regarding a previous coach many Penn State fans feel JoePa was wronged They have the right to their opinion on that even if the VAST majority (dare I say 99 percent) of non-Penn State fans around the country completely disagree with that assessment But what happens every now and then -- and it happened again this week -- is that any time efforts are made regarding the Paterno legacy issue the result is more wide-scale embarrassment for Penn State The latest issue centers around an effort made by some Board of Trustees members to name the field at Beaver Stadium after Paterno. You can read all the particulars in this story by Spotlight PA including how discussions on the issue may have violated open-meeting laws the silliness included BoT member Lubrano introducing and then withdrawing a proposal on the Paterno field naming issue during a Board meeting From All Penn State:  Lubrano cited Paterno's work as football coach athletic director and fundraiser at the university and Sue Paterno's philanthropic and humanitarian achievements an alumni-elected trustee for whom the university's baseball stadium is named quickly withdrew the resolution following a statement from Jay Paterno a former Penn State assistant football coach and fellow alumni trustee Jay Paterno asked that the resolution be withdrawn while the university navigates continuing financial challenges which include planned $94 million in budget cuts in 2025 What in the world is going on at Penn State when these kinds of shenanigans are taking place Former Penn State football star Brandon Short I don't support continued political stunts in Joe Paterno's name," Short said And of course it was counterproductive to Penn State football in 2024 Franklin doesn't need the football program making this kind of news Bill O'Brien didn't need it when he was the coach more than a decade ago and famously told a reporter that it made him want to punch a windshield when talking about the "Paterno people.” still doesn't seem to have anything better to do as a Board of Trustees member than to spend his time trying to restore his father's legacy who along with Jay will probably be able to have a lifetime seat on the BoT because there are still a whole bunch of Penn State fans who completely agree with what they're doing Not if you truly care about the success of Penn State football The program doesn't need to be in the news for this stuff The program doesn't need school officials who would answer the question up above with a B instead of an A Paterno's legacy will never be restored to what it was regardless of whether Jay and Lubrano and anyone else want to accept it Michigan and Penn State are two football programs linked by more than just their shared Big Ten affiliation At Michigan, there’s Bo Schembechler and at Penn State, there’s Joe Paterno REQUIRED READING: Michigan Football still ranked third in College Football Playoff rankings Rather than winning 409 games over 46 years at Penn State Paterno came close to accepting the Michigan job in the late 1960s a move that would have closed the proverbial door to Ann Arbor for Schembechler and fundamentally changed the trajectory of his coaching career As the No. 3 Wolverines and No. 9 Nittany Lions prepare to play Saturday in what should be one of the most consequential games of the 2023 college football season let’s take a look back at a crucial-yet-often-overlooked moment in college football history involving two of the sport’s most accomplished programs: Paterno wasted little time making a name for himself in the college football world Paterno bypassed the opportunity to attend law school at Boston University to accept an assistant coaching position at Penn State in 1950 Paterno was immediately named his successor Paterno got off to a solid start, going 5-5 in his debut season before improving to 8-2-1 in 1967. In 1968, he and the program experienced a breakthrough winning a school-record 11 games and capping off the season with a win against Kansas in the Orange Bowl narrowly missing out on a national championship their future was clearly and undeniably bright under their third-year leader That success attracted attention far beyond central Pennsylvania a season punctuated by a 50-14 loss to Ohio State in which Woody Hayes famously (and unsuccessfully) went for a 2-point conversion up 36 points in the final two minutes The Wolverines were one of the sport’s top programs historically finishing with a losing record four times over a stretch of six seasons from 1962-67 Michigan athletic director Don Canham had a notable replacement in mind — Paterno whom he had known for years going back to Canham’s days as the Wolverines’ track coach U-M VS. PSU: 30 years ago, Wolverines handed Nittany Lions first Big Ten loss the two met at a Pittsburgh hotel while Canham was on his way to a function in New York wasn’t as well-known as some of the other candidates Canham spoke to but the gifted young coach appealed to him Paterno asked Canham for some time to mull his options “Joe called me and said, ‘Don, I can’t make a decision until after the bowl,’ and I told him I couldn’t wait until January to hire a football coach for Michigan,” Canham said in 2004 in an interview with The Michigan Daily There were reasons beyond the Nittany Lions’ upcoming Orange Bowl appearance for Paterno to stay in Happy Valley His kids were just starting school and his wife Penn State was returning most of its roster from that undefeated 1968 squad (and they went on to go undefeated and win another Orange Bowl during the 1969 season) Paterno occasionally discussed the decision in advance of Penn State’s first-ever meeting with Michigan Paterno lauded the Wolverines' program while noting that it was “one of the few schools I would have left Penn State for.” "A couple of days after I turned it down, Don called and asked what I knew about a guy named Schembechler," Paterno said in 1993 REQUIRED READING: Michigan football RB Blake Corum: 'I don't have any businesses with Connor (Stalions)' Michigan hires Bo SchembechlerAs he was in New York awaiting a response from Paterno a name kept coming up in Canham’s conversations with others at a dinner he was attending: Bo Schembechler Schembechler was coming off a 1968 season at Miami (Ohio) in which his team finished 7-3 the 39-year-old Ohio native had compiled an impressive record of 40-17-3 In addition to those on-field achievements Schembechler possessed the kind of background Canham desired: someone from the region who had previous experience in the Big Ten as an assistant coach at Ohio State and Northwestern “His personality just struck me right away,” Canham said to The Michigan Daily “I hired him 15 minutes after we began to talk That was the turning point in my career as athletic director That’s because he started winning right away We didn’t have to wait four or five years — the reason was that Bump Elliot had left him a lot of good material.” Schembechler was an immediate winner in Ann Arbor leading the Wolverines to the Rose Bowl in two of his first three seasons at the helm Over the course of his 21 years as Michigan’s coach had 16 top-10 finishes and won at least a share of the Big Ten championship 13 times he remains the program’s career wins leader Paterno once said Canham would write him a thank you letter once a year for making the decision he did Paterno remained at Penn State for 43 more years racking up a 409-136-3 record that included a pair of national championships in 1982 and 1986 Michigan wouldn’t be the only coaching opportunity he chose not to pursue as he turned down offers from the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots His 409 wins are the most by any coach in FBS history NCAA Division I's all-time winningest coach who won two national championships and 409 games in 46 seasons at Penn State died of complications from lung cancer Sunday at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College The fallout from the Sandusky scandal took a toll on Joe Paterno. John McDonnell/The Washington PostPenn State officials said Paterno experienced further complications from treatment for lung cancer over the last week and his family summoned close friends and former staff members to the hospital on Saturday Paterno revealed his cancer diagnosis on Nov just nine days after he was fired in the fallout of former assistant Jerry Sandusky's alleged sexual abuse of children He also suffered a broken pelvis in a fall at his home on Dec 11 and was confined to a wheelchair in his last weeks Paterno devoted his entire career to a belief in the power of intercollegiate athletics but only when coupled with the power of academics His will and his enthusiasm provided a public face for the transformation of Penn State from a regional agricultural school to one of the most important public universities in the country Paterno's "Grand Experiment" was his blueprint for how intercollegiate sports should work a harmonious balance of academics and athletics which would ensure that the players who enrolled at Penn State and played for him would be better men when they left Paterno was never accused of breaking NCAA rules and his players always graduated at exceptionally high rates fostering a belief that the Nittany Lions always did things the right way Paterno and his family donated more than $4 million to Penn State faculty positions and construction of a library that bears his name Penn State and its alumni and fans -- and the rest of the sporting world for that matter -- are left to ponder Paterno's legacy which was otherwise exemplary until the worst scandal in intercollegiate sports history left an indelible stain on his career and the university's reputation Although attorney general Linda Kelly pronounced that Paterno fulfilled his legal responsibilities there remains a gap between that duty and the larger one Paterno recognized his failing in his statement of resignation "It is one of the great sorrows of my life," Paterno said more than any other coach in the history of college football Given that he coached five teams to undefeated it's no wonder that he became an early proponent of a college football playoff Paterno the philosopher appreciated the irony in finishing No 1 with an 11-1 record in 1982 after not winning it all with spotless records in 1968 The rise of Penn State as an athletic and academic power would be the biggest change that occurred during Paterno's tenure at Penn State Think of everything else that happened in college football from the time that Paterno arrived at Penn State as an assistant coach in 1950 in his six decades at Penn State. AP Photo/Al BehrmanThrough it all rolled-up pants cuffs (to save on dry cleaning) Paterno coached 78 first-team All-Americans including winners of virtually every major individual award At the two positions for which his Nittany Lions became most famous running back John Cappelletti won the 1973 Heisman Trophy and linebackers LaVar Arrington and Paul Posluszny won the Butkus Award in 1999 and 2005 Paterno produced more than 350 players who went on to play in the NFL 33 of whom were selected in the first round of the draft He also took pride in the 16 Penn State players named Scholar-Athletes by the National Football Foundation from the time Paterno became head coach in 1966 he demanded that academic success be as important to his players as their success on the football field Many coaches of Paterno's era paid little more than lip service to education They put football first because they understood that without winning games the grade-point averages of their players meant little Paterno believed that academics and athletics could be mixed without emitting toxic fumes Paterno and his university -- and the two became interchangeable in the minds of the nation -- made the Grand Experiment a success the NCAA reported that Penn State football players graduated at a rate of 74 percent fans and writers outside of the Northeast still confused Penn State with Penn The Nittany Lions played a regional schedule dominated by rivals Pittsburgh the Big Ten Conference had invited Penn State to become the league's 11th member in part a commentary on the prestige that Paterno had brought the athletic program The invitation also verified the academic improvement that the university made which counts among its members prestigious public universities such as Michigan and Wisconsin does not issue invitations to schools just because they win football games Paterno had a hand in the rise of Penn State's academic standing as well Not only did he become a tireless fundraiser for Penn State The university named a new library for Joe and Sue Paterno in 2000 The couple also supported an interfaith spiritual center on campus and endowed scholarships and faculty chairs as well His love of learning stemmed from childhood whether in a game plan or in the game itself As the sport grew in popularity and grandiosity he wondered aloud whether college football would spiral out of control "I've got very serious doubts whether big-time football is worth it," he told author Ken Denlinger in his 1994 book "For the Glory." "It was a lot better when we didn't have weight rooms when the Mike Reids would walk away when the season was over and you might not see 'em for weeks a defensive tackle who won the 1969 Outland Trophy became a successful musical producer and songwriter in Nashville It is hard to imagine that he would have blossomed that way had he played for any other coach Joseph Vincent Paterno came into the streets of his native Brooklyn on Dec and is the oldest of four children of Angelo and Florence Paterno who attended night school to earn a law degree Angelo Paterno took an extra job to pay the tuition for Joe and his younger brother George to be taught by the Jesuits at Brooklyn Prep From Florence Paterno came the drive to succeed that pushed Joe all his life "If she couldn't be at the head of the pack she wouldn't go," Paterno wrote of his mother in his 1989 autobiography "Paterno: By the Book," with Bernard Asbell as the first son in anything I did I had to be at the top." Joe Paterno posed in 1966 with his 1-year-old daughter Mary Kathryn on his lap and his wife Suzanne Pa. AP Photo/Paul VathisThere is something else at work in that desire Paterno is the classic American of the 20th century a have-not who broke through the societal limitations imposed by the haves men who planted their family trees in American soil only a generation or two earlier Paterno made his name on the football field His career total of 14 picks set a record at the school that he shares to this day That Paterno even set foot on the Brown campus amounted to something of an upset The parish priests in Brooklyn admonished parents who didn't send their children to Catholic universities But Paterno had been offered a scholarship to Brown and had been impressed by the head coach Their relationship would change not only the lives of the two men and brought Paterno with him as an assistant coach It took him a few years to fall in love with State College where he shared an elevator with Bud Wilkinson of Oklahoma The thrill stayed with Paterno late in life destined for the College Football Hall of Fame Paterno rose to become Engle's top assistant but not without stepping on toes on his way up questioning decisions made by his fellow assistants and by Engle himself In the 1998 biography "No Ordinary Joe," author Michael O'Brien wrote "He had an opinion on everything -- politics 'He was a brazen young man,' said fellow assistant Frank Patrick What came off as arrogance stemmed in part from immaturity but also from his impatience to succeed Paterno never lost the humility and respect for others drilled into children of the pre-war era He came from the Chip Hilton era of athletics Bragging and preening might be the most recognizable traits of athletes of the modern day The Depression baby who became a millionaire bought his suits at an outlet store He lived in a small house near campus – which he bought for $9,000 in 1966 -- for almost his entire career at Penn State His address and phone number are still listed in the State College phone book That humility extended to his players' uniforms: simple dark blue jerseys with white pants and white helmets so much so that when the university agreed to put the Nike swoosh on the jersey front in 1995 It all spoke to Paterno's single-minded focus he spent little time on anything or anyone that wouldn't help him win a football game did his coaching head get turned by a woman Paterno asked her to keep an eye on the player's academics The player transferred; the relationship between Joe and Sue blossomed On their way to a five-day honeymoon in Virginia Beach Joe and Sue Paterno would have five children -- Diana Jay (an assistant on his father's staff from 1995 until this past season) and Scott -- and 17 grandchildren Paterno's son Jay was a former player and longtime assistant. AP Photo/Carolyn KasterAfter the 1964 season Yale tried to hire Paterno away as head coach and the university rewarded him a year later when Engle retired Paterno accepted the job with a handshake agreement for a $20,000 salary and Paterno responded not only by designing a new defense but by shifting his best talent to that side of the ball Penn State won the last seven games of the 1967 season and went 11-0 in each of the next two seasons the Nittany Lions finished the regular season ranked third behind No President Richard Nixon not only attended the game the Nittany Lions went 12-0 but finished only fifth in the nation Paterno declared that "the Paterno Poll" had named Penn State No 1 and had national championship rings made for his players Paterno seriously considered leaving Penn State only once general manager and part owner (5 percent) of the Boston Patriots Not just the name of the Patriots has changed; so have the economics The four-year contract included $1.4 million in salary and benefits Paterno won his first national championship against Georgia in the 1983 Sugar Bowl. AP Photo/Bill FeigFor a guy raising five children on a salary of $35,000 on the day that he would fly to Boston to make it official "You went to bed with a millionaire but you woke up with me Paterno's team got the chance to play for the national championship led 14-7 before the Nittany Lions recovered a fumbled punt at the Alabama 19 late in the game Penn State moved to the Alabama 1 with two downs to score As the officials unpiled the players and marked the ball short of the goal line standing next to Penn State quarterback Chuck Fusina Paterno sent fullback Mike Guman into the middle of the line again and Alabama linebacker Barry Krauss met him in midair The collision popped the rivets on Krauss' helmet but Guman did not cross the goal line Penn State fell short of the national championship again Paterno wrote in his autobiography that his instinct had been to pass but he didn't trust it "I beat up on myself not only immediately but for months afterward halfway into the next season," Paterno said It would be no coincidence that the 1979 team spoke to the media with a frankness not heard from most coaches He held cocktail parties the night before home games where he spoke freely on the condition that his comments be off the record reported that Paterno said he would not leave college football because he didn't want "to turn over the game to the Switzers and the Sherrills." That would be Oklahoma coach Barry Switzer and the coach of Penn State's archrival at the time Most readers interpreted the remark as Paterno calling them cheaters Paterno denied that and said he meant their attitude that winning trumped all else An ESPN investigation in 2008 found that 46 Penn State football players faced 163 criminal charges from 2002 to 2007 according to an analysis of Pennsylvania court records and reports Twenty-seven players were convicted or pleaded guilty to a combined 45 charges and in 1990 wrote the foreword to Switzer's best-selling autobiography "Bootlegger's Boy." He didn't apologize to Sherrill After Sherrill retired from coaching in 2003 Sherrill once came to State College as part of a radio team broadcasting a game where the coach's extended family and friends would gather one of Jay Paterno's children climbed into Sherrill's lap "This I gotta see." He climbed down the stairs and peeked Sherrill would be one of the few "media" members who spent time with the older Paterno he rarely gave interviews beyond the regular news conferences Paterno finished 0-4 in his career against the Bear) and claimed Paterno's first national championship only to lose the national championship in the Orange Bowl to Oklahoma The loss girded Penn State for the season to come the season that would cement Paterno's place in the sport forever In the 100th season of football at Penn State the Nittany Lions once again sailed through the regular season undefeated In an era when conferences sent their champions to specific bowls since neither Penn State nor Miami belonged to a conference they accepted invitations to the Fiesta Bowl but it was no match for Paterno's Nittany Lions. AP Photo/Jim GerberichMiami was everything that Penn State was not The Hurricanes wore their egos on their sleeves They beat teams with their speed and quickness Miami featured quarterback Vinny Testaverde safety Bennie Blades and tackle Jerome Brown Sports Illustrated named Paterno its Sportsman of the Year evil of the Saturday serials that were a staple of the movies in Paterno's youth The Miami players arrived at the Phoenix airport wearing military fatigues the Hurricanes walked out of a steak fry held for both teams the Miami captains declined to shake hands with the Penn State captains Penn State focused on making Testaverde and his receivers beat them a senior on Paterno's first Nittany Lions team in 1966 mixed up pass coverages and made sure the Nittany Lions hit the Hurricanes' receivers hard the last on a fourth-and-8 from the Penn State 13 with 18 seconds to play and Paterno had won his second national championship Paterno turned 60 a few days before the Nittany Lions won that second national championship he began to face talk of his age and his imminent retirement on the recruiting trail which came at the midway point of his long career The discrepancy reflected the Nittany Lions' entry into the Big Ten in 1993 The Nittany Lions have had two losing seasons and have spent most of remaining time in the middle of the pack Paterno's health kept him off the sideline at times but never far from his team. Rob Carr/Getty ImagesThe first Big Ten championship came in a season in which Penn State went 12-0 and again failed to finish No The Nittany Lions fell short in the final poll to Nebraska "We should have two or three more national championships," Paterno said in 2004 an assistant to Paterno for more than three decades and once considered his heir apparent retired to work full-time for The Second Mile a foundation he began to help at-risk children and Sandusky retained use of the football facilities on campus He admitted that he had done a poor job of delegating responsibility "One of the problems that you get," Paterno said in 2004 and people who count on you [ask for help] and your time away from coaching gets more and more significant the whole band of people you're involved with stretches it won't hurt there.' You wake up one morning and you have a crappy organization." Penn State came within one play of reaching the national championship game A last-play loss to Michigan spoiled an otherwise spotless regular season and the Nittany Lions had to settle for playing Florida State in the Orange Bowl The game matched Paterno with his good friend they ranked 1-2 all time in victories among major college football coaches Bowden had 359 victories and Paterno had 353 capping an 11-1 season that hushed those who believed that the game had passed Paterno by shortly after he signed a five-year contract Paterno was asked what he told recruits about his future He said that he allowed for the possibility that he might get sick "I also just happen to mention," Paterno said "that all these years when everybody was telling kids they're not going to Penn State because Paterno won't be there about 700 of those guys [coaches] are gone the number of Division I-A coaches who had been fired since Penn State hired Paterno in 1966 has neared 900 Paterno led the Nittany Lions to another Big Ten championship and a berth in the Rose Bowl in 2008 Paterno amassed a record of 24-11-1 (.681) in bowl games Over the next three seasons Paterno closed the margin between him and Bowden and then surpassed him He endured despite a deteriorating hip that required replacement the day after the 2008 regular season ended He kept going despite twice getting knocked down on the sideline But he dismissed the notion that chasing Bowden for the record compelled him to keep coaching "I don't care about the record," Paterno said in the spring of 2008 you going to look up at your stone and say I think there are other things that are more important Paterno's wisdom struck home in the wake of the shocking revelation in November that Sandusky had been charged with 40 crimes pertaining to felony child sexual abuse The grand jury focused on one incident in 2002 in which a football graduate assistant walked in on Sandusky assaulting a young boy in the showers of the football building Paterno ended his career mired in the controversy surrounding the allegations against former coach Jerry Sandusky. AP Photo/Pat LittleThe graduate assistant What exactly McQueary told Paterno is subject to the memory of an elderly man Paterno insisted to the grand jury that he was told only of "inappropriate behavior" and passed the case to the campus officials who should deal with it Penn State's Board of Regents didn't believe Paterno had done enough and relieved him of his coaching duties on Nov University president Graham Spanier and athletics director Tim Curley also were fired coached the Nittany Lions in their last four games this past season New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien was hired earlier this month as Paterno's replacement "I didn't know exactly how to handle it and I was afraid to do something that might jeopardize what the university procedure was," Paterno told the Washington Post "So I backed away and turned it over to some other people people I thought would have a little more expertise than I did Paterno also told Jenkins that he later realized people probably expected more from him as the face of Penn State Shortly before the Big Ten staged its first football championship game in Indianapolis on Dec commissioner Jim Delany announced Paterno's name had been removed from the championship trophy The Maxwell Football Club of Philadelphia discontinued its Joseph V Paterno Award for coaches who made a positive impact in the community and a nomination for Paterno to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom was withdrawn Paterno's role in the scandal was detailed in the investigative report by Louis Freeh Freeh's report concluded that Paterno and other officials "failed to take any steps for 14 years to protect the children who Sandusky victimized." The report went on to outline Paterno's knowledge of accusations against Sandusky dating back to 1998 something Paterno denied during his grand jury testimony While the Sandusky scandal left an indelible stain on his career and legacy at Penn State Paterno insisted that he shouldn't have been the focus in the fallout people should have been concerned about Sandusky's alleged victims I'm not as concerned about me," Paterno told the Washington Post's Sally Jenkins in January 2012 I've had a wonderful experience here at Penn State I don't want to walk away from this thing bitter How long the close of his career will overshadow the preceding six decades is a question only time will answer on his players and on his university will last long after his victory total is surpassed when Penn State officials commissioned a statue of Paterno to be placed outside Beaver Stadium in 2001 the following quote was inscribed on the middle wall of the tribute: "They ask me what I'd like written about me when I'm gone I hope they write I made Penn State a better place not just that I was a good football coach." .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a} 5 times Joe Paterno almost left Penn State Joe Paterno will forever be linked to Penn State even though his legacy continues to evolve But there were at least five times that he could have left the Nittany Lions engages in a bit of chit-chat with Rip Engle during preparations for liberty Bowl game between the two teams Game will be played in Philadelphia stadium Engle was being considered for the Southern California head coaching job "I couldn't profit much by a change but perhaps my staff could I told them about the offer and said we would vote on it Joe was so gung ho about going he stood up and gave us a pep talk about all the advantages." and Penn State's head football coach Charles A shown with engraved desk set in Philadelphia on Jan which Engle presented to Moore as Penn State's outstanding athlete of 1957 and California appealed to him" Engle continued He's married and has a family now and his attitude has changed Maybe in another time and another place he'll decide to leave I don't think he feels his work has been completed." In the book "Pride of the Lions," author Frank Fitzpatrick relates that former Penn State assistant J.T White recalled that  ‘Joe was furious' about the decision to stay University of Alabama star quarterback Joe Namath looks at the Standard Players Contract held by New York Jets' head coach Weeb Ewbank in Miami Beach who was picked by the AFL New York Jets in the first round of the draft Joe Paterno wanted to be an assistant coach for Weeb Ewbank and the New York Jets Ewbank himself was a former assistant for Rip Engle Ewbank was Paterno's coach on the freshman basketball team Ewbank had taken over as head coach and general manager of the Jets in 1963 where it was announced he has signed with the New York Jets of the American Football League In a May 2, 1963, letter in the Miami (Ohio) University archives (Ewbank's alma mater) Ewbank tells Paterno in part: "You were considered very highly and had not original plans been so successful you were next to be offered a position on the Jet staff I shall not stop trying to get you on my staff This is either the second or third time I have endeavored to do so." head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers is shown in this 1971 photo I'd never dreamed of making that much money Then I started thinking about what I wanted to do I haven't done the job I set out to do at Penn State." The Steelers made out OK and actor Bob Hope after being named the 1973 Heisman winner in New York the longtime Penn State coach who won more games than anyone else in major college football but was fired amid a child sex abuse scandal that scarred his reputation for winning with integrity Joe Paterno reportedly accepted the job as New England head coach and general manager before having second thoughts In a syndicated column in the Patriot-News from 1973 is was reported that Paterno turned down a $1.3 million contract - more than $200,000 a year - to stay at Penn State He was given a raise from $32,000 to $33,500 for his loyalty "I feel better about the decision every day," he told Bob Oates of the Los Angeles Times the university and the town are just right for me." When asked if he said it was true that he said nobody is worth $1 million "I think I said no football coach is worth $1 million." There was an entire page in the 1973 Penn State football press guide dedicated to Joe Paterno's decision to stay in State College It shows a picture of Paterno with Penn State President John W Oswald at the press conference announcing Paterno's decision to stay He said in part: "When I analyzed the situation here at Penn State I realized that I've always hoped that I could work in an atmosphere on a campus where the approach by the administration towards athletics was such that I could be a little more than just a football coach and that's what Penn State has allowed me to be." Joe Paterno addresses the graduating class at the 1973 commencement exercises He continued: "I'm not just a coach and a businessman Because of Penn State's approach to athletics within the entire framework of the University I have had an opportunity to work with young people and have an influence on their lives I think that was the overriding factor in my decision - the fact that this is such a healthy atmosphere The other thing that I felt very strongly about was that we really love Pennsylvania." Penn State football coach Joe Paterno pulls the arm of his quarterback Todd Blackledge urging him to hurry and finish signing autographs at the conclusion of their practice session in New Orleans This wasn't as serious of a discussion, but there were talks. The Patriots reportedly had tried to hire USC coach John Robinson before attempting to hire Paterno, which apparently kept Paterno from seriously considering the offer. "I told them I was staying at Penn State," Paterno told The New York Times "You'll always be able to find me at Penn State There is plenty more Joe Paterno coverage on PennLive Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices researching a 10-page Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year piece on Joe Paterno but one night the phone in my hotel room rang "Are you here to take part in hagiography?" he said You're going to make Paterno out to be a saint when former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was accused of a 15-year reign of pedophilia on young boys I thought Paterno was too old and too addled to understand too grandfatherly and Catholic to get that Sandusky was committing grisly crimes using Paterno's own football program as bait That's all clear now after Penn State's own investigator came out Thursday and hung the whole disgusting canvas on a wall for us shined a black light on all of the lies they left behind It cost $6.5 million and took eight months and the truth it uncovered was 100 times uglier than the bills Paterno knew about a mother's cry that Sandusky had molested her son in 1998 Paterno lied to a grand jury and said he didn't Paterno and university president Graham Spanier and vice president Gary Schultz and athletic director Tim Curley all knew what kind of sick coach they had on the payroll in Sandusky "Is this opening of pandora's box?" he wrote in personal notes on the case Schultz and Curley were set to call child services on Sandusky in February 2001 until Paterno apparently talked them out of it Curley wasn't "comfortable" going to child services after that talk with JoePa And let Sandusky keep leading his horrific tours around campus want to see the showers?" That sentence alone ought to bring down the statue I talked about Paterno's "true legacy" in all of this Here's his true legacy: Paterno let a child molester go when he could've stopped him He let him go and then lied to cover his sinister tracks He let a rapist go to save his own recruiting successes and fundraising pitches and big-fish-small-pond hide Paterno's cowardice and ego and fears allowed Sandusky to molest at least eight more boys in the years after that 1998 incident -- Victims 1 a grown man failed to protect eight boys from years of molestation The mother of Victim 1 is "filled with hatred toward Joe Paterno," the victim's lawyer says I hope Penn State loses civil suits until the walls of the accounting office cave in Schultz and Curley go to prison for perjury I hope the NCAA gives Penn State the death penalty it most richly deserves The worst scandal in college football history deserves the worst penalty the NCAA can give They gave it to SMU for winning without regard for morals They should give it to Penn State for the same thing at Penn State they didn't pay for it with Corvettes Good and decent men don't do what Paterno did And to think Paterno comes from "father" in Italian This throws a can of black paint on anything anybody tells me about Paterno from here on in "No NCAA violations in all those years." I believe it "He gave $4 million to the library." In exchange for what "He cared about kids away from the football field." No Little did I know he was taking all of his dirty secrets to the grave he had The Washington Post's Sally Jenkins in his kitchen Could've tried a simple "I'm sorry." But he didn't It’s been a bit more than 12 years since the love of her life nothing seems to have changed in the heart of Sue Paterno The former Suzanne Pohland remains resolute in her love for Joe her love for their five children and 17 grandchildren and her love for Penn State University she defends the honor of her late husband while telling laugh-out-loud stories of their lives together My wife, Kathy, and I interviewed SuePa in May of 2019 to produce a story in honor of her selection as “Happy Valley Mother of the Year.” So now we figured it was time to visit her again—five years later and just in time to focus on her big day so every year she celebrates her birthday in tandem with Valentine’s Day she will be feted at a dinner hosted by Alvin de Levie a current member of Penn State’s Board of Trustees their spouses and her niece Katy and her husband.) Kathy and I asked about her introduction to Joe their wedding and their nearly 50 years of marriage Our chat with Sue produced a heart-warming saga of her courtship with JoePa and a glimpse of campus life in the 1960s.   Suzanne Pohland came to Penn State as a freshman in the fall of 1958 and she was dating a classmate who was on the football team He was required to attend a study hall with his teammates each evening at Pattee Library Sue and all other female students had to return to their dormitories by 8:15 p.m the only chance for this freshman player to see Sue on weeknights was to take a short break during the study hall And so he would make his way down a hallway in Pattee at the same time each evening meeting Sue for a brief visit at the drinking fountain and one day he decided to solve this mini-mystery “I guess Joe got suspicious,” Sue told Kathy and me “Why did this player go to the bathroom every night at the same time So he followed him out to the water fountain it seemed like I ran into him all the time.” Sue and Joe quickly struck up a relationship that was platonic in her mind but a potential courtship in his Paterno.’  I had to respect my elders.” Indeed I had never dated anybody even a year older.  It never dawned on me…And then once in a while he’d say ‘Let’s go to Bellefonte and get a pizza.’  We went to Bellefonte where no one would know him and we’d sit in a booth where no one would see you It was the faculty-student thing (dating between the two was forbidden).” What Sue didn’t know for several years was that Joe had fallen for her during that first encounter at the water fountain and he felt this relationship was going to be “it” for him.  Regardless and we had a lot of discussion about how they (Russians during the Napoleonic Wars) lived.” Many of their conversations took place at the New Jersey shore.  Both enjoyed the beach and Sue spent two summers—1960 and 1961—working at a hotel in Avon-by-the-Sea.     the football player and Sue had broken off their relationship but another guy named Dick had entered the picture he and Sue were “pinned,” a fraternity custom that serves as a pre-engagement step of commitment THE KISS THAT MISSED                                 Dick would visit Sue occasionally at the shore during the summer of 1960 in part because Joe liked the man and didn’t want to be seen as adversarial Sue will certainly never forget one quasi-date with her friend Joe “He called and said he wanted to get a hamburger or pizza with me and then he was taking me home and went down the wrong street but then he leaned over and tried to kiss me ‘You just ruined a great friendship.’ And I got out and slammed the door the relational tension eased by the end of the 1960 football season and the couple resumed their occasional pizza trips to Bellefonte and their hikes in the mountains of central Pennsylvania.    Sue returned to Avon-by-the-Sea for the summer of 1961 and everything was status quo until it wasn’t But I’ve got more in common with Joe and we have similar values.’” Sue was writing letters to her mom about Joe to reassure her that he was no dumb football coach (The Brookly native had earned his bachelor’s degree at Brown University.) Joe was working even harder to win over Sue’s dad ultimately meeting for three sessions before he got Mr But the calendar presented an additional tension Joe knew that the fall would bring non-stop football demands so he felt the wedding should happen right away when Sue’s mom was in New York City to see a Broadway show Sue grins broadly as she recalls the dialogue ‘We want to get married in three weeks.’   Joe and Sue lost the battle of when to marry but they won the war of whether to marry Rather than getting hitched in the summer of 1961 Sue was ready to make her bridal entrance at Latrobe’s Holy Family Church Several of her bridesmaids had already gone down the aisle when Sue’s sister said It was nothing about Joe; she was fully in love with him “realizing that my life was going to change ‘How’s this going to be?’ And I started crying and Dad said the car’s outside if you want to take off.’ So then we went down there and it was fine I was happy as a lark and everything went smoothly at the church and we had a great time at the reception.”  The newlyweds settled into a small apartment at 907 Old Boalsburg Road and it got smaller the next April when their first child “We knew we needed a bigger place,” Sue said “because when you put the playpen in the living room you had to walk on the couch to get past it the Paternos produced four children in five years They emphasized low-cost activities that the entire family could do together.   “We walked around campus a lot with the kids,” said Sue We’d take the kids over to the stadium so Joe could see how the grass was growing Joe and Sue never talked football rules or strategy and therefore I couldn’t tell him how to coach And he didn’t tell me how to cook or clean the house SPECIAL DAY OVERSHADOWED                                                                             we asked how she and Joe had celebrated the combination of that holiday and her own birthday Although Joe’s schedule got in the way of various options we could tell she understood and embraced the sacrifices that his job required.    the national recruiting and signing date was something like the 15th or 16th or 17th.  So he was never home on my birthday unless it was a weekend And that was worse because I would be entertaining everybody for a recruiting party.” sticks in Sue’s memory.  Joe was off on the recruiting trail but when he called her on the evening of February 14 Katy (the same one who is joining Sue for dinner this year on their mutual birthday) (a quarterback) and Leo Wisniewski (a defensive tackle) they both committed.” Her response was a typical teasing “Just what I wanted,” but Wisniewski became a star for the Nittany Lion defense and Rocco remains a family friend to this day But even if there had been no intrusions into the Paternos’ February schedule Sue and Joe still would have chosen a quiet celebration at home over a restaurant dinner “Home was Joe’s favorite restaurant,” she said “He ate so many rubber chicken dinners at high school events or he’d grab a hamburger at 10 o’clock at night and I didn’t want to take him away from them.”   Sue demonstrated the traits that have always endeared her to residents of Happy Valley—her loyalty most notably while looking at Sue’s photos of the Paterno grandchildren “I loved her sweet observations about her grandchildren let’s-get-this-done outlook in supporting Penn State projects.” Only when the conversation drifted near to the Sandusky scandal did Sue demonstrate heartache and frustration Asked what made her most proud of her iconic husband “He always tried to do everything the right way So I don’t know why they (the Board of Trustees in 2011) did what they did to him He always treated people fairly and believed nobody was better than anybody else But her sense of humor returned when she was asked how Penn State should honor her husband’s memory She mentioned the Joe statue that used to stand on the east side of Beaver Stadium but didn’t seem to be campaigning for its restoration or against it Sue recalled the days when Penn State students had fun with the statue.  For example the time when Joe was accidentally struck by a Wisconsin player along the sideline and suffered multiple injuries The real Joe was heavily bandaged after that incident so the students placed bandages on the statue they’d put a toga on Joe.  Joe would say Jerry Sandusky enters the Centre County Courthouse for a hearing on May 2 in Bellefonte Sandusky has filed a petition under Pennsylvania's Post Conviction Relief Act civil cases between various parties are uncovering new details of allegations against Sandusky — including some that predate by decades the crimes of which he was convicted a man alleges he was abused by Jerry Sandusky as a 14-year-old and quickly told Penn State head coach Joe Paterno — who brushed it off called "John Doe 150" in the court documents said he first heard of allegations against Sandusky In a 2014 deposition, Doe says he was visiting Penn State for a football camp, PennLive reports He says Sandusky committed a specific sexual act in a shower "The man identified as John Doe 150 said in 2014 that other boys in a shower heard him yell that Sandusky had just touched him sexually " 'Is it accurate that Coach Paterno quickly said to you "I don't want to hear about any of that kind of stuff I have a football season to worry about?" ' a lawyer for Penn State's insurance carrier asked the man "He said Paterno then 'just walked away.' " "Penn State's president has previously said the 1976 allegation is unsubstantiated and unsupported," reports Ben Allen of member station WITF Paterno's family said in a statement that elements of this specific allegation "defy all logic and have never been subjected to even the most basic objective examination." Sandusky was convicted of sexually assaulting 10 boys in the '90s and 2000s; he is currently serving a 30- to 60-year sentence. Paterno told a grand jury that he first heard allegations that Sandusky was abusing boys in 2001 There have been multiple claims of sexual assaults by Sandusky that happened in the '80s some of which were allegedly witnessed by or reported to other members of the coaching staff as well as a number of other allegations predating Sandusky's convictions are coming to light as part of an extended legal saga involving Penn State and its liability insurer The university paid out millions of dollars over dozens of claims of sexual abuse by Sandusky. The school and its insurer are now fighting over who is responsible for covering the cost of those claims, as the Centre Daily Times reported earlier this year some of the details of those claims are being made public Meanwhile, Sandusky is attempting to appeal his own conviction. And as the Centre Daily Times reports a third Sandusky-related court case might eventually uncover more information about abuse claims settled by Penn State That suit involves the NCAA and the estate of Joe Paterno The estate is claiming that the NCAA defamed the once-legendary coach by placing blame on Paterno and imposing sanctions on Penn State To defend against the charge of defamation the NCAA has been seeking more details about the claims by two alleged victims the NCAA has no desire to embarrass or harass the victims of this horrific tragedy — quite the opposite," a lawyer for the organization wrote in court documents One of those victims is John Doe 150, whose testimony was revealed Tuesday. The other is John Doe 71, who reportedly said he was raped by Sandusky in 1971 and told Paterno over the phone of the assault Both men have asked the courts for protection of their identities Become an NPR sponsor The Paterno Legacy — which will feature an interview with Jerry Sandusky from prison — premieres at 8 p.m The victims are being victimized again…and again…and again There was no need for an inquest or due process or anything; he should have told Sandusky That's not good enough if you are the god on campus a $60 million fine to fund anti-child abuse causes stripping the 111 wins and a reduction of scholarships It is an organization more adept at the hospitality business and selling packages of hotel/airfare around the Final Four than it is policing its members It should have stuck by its guns and told Penn State's trustees: "You are a member of this organization The NCAA had every right to punish Penn State What are the victims thinking today? They are thinking football makes the rules, as usual. Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesEvery day, the lessons of Sandusky and Penn State are eased or brushed away. The bowl ban lifted, scholarships restored early, the wins restored. Soon, the Paterno statue will be rolled back out to its place at the football stadium. It won't be like nothing ever happened. Sandusky, after all, is in jail for a long time, and that won't change. Still, Joe Pa catches a break. History books will have his name, for the time being, on the top line. The big message is the victims are discounted. Here is the second message…wait long enough and a scandal's scorn will subside and all will be made well. If that's the case, then Bobby Bowden should get his wins back for the academic scandal at Florida State. What happened at FSU was nothing compared to what happened with Paterno. What's more, all the college coaches under a show-cause order because of cheating should be cleared and free to get jobs. The Penn State coach was not the only coward on the job. Administrators did not act. Paterno was never scapegoated; he was punished. The others face felony charges from perjury, to child endangerment, conspiracy and obstruction charges. Paterno is lucky in some ways. He died. These men are going to face trial and public scorn. Patrick Smith/Getty ImagesI can see, just a little bit, why the bowl ban was lifted on Penn State and the scholarships were restored early. A lot of high school kids who dream of playing for Penn State didn't have anything to do with this. I just wish their parents, or their older brothers and sisters, or aunts and uncles, had not added to the disgrace with their marches through campus supporting the coach after the scandal broke. His legacy as a great coach, a great man, will not be restored. That's done with. The NCAA and state of Pennsylvania can't remove that stain. Ray Glier covers college football for Bleacher Report. While we don’t spend my time reflecting on the coach it is worth reflecting on the great players that came through the Penn State football program from 1966-2011 The Joe Paterno era was quite a long one in Happy Valley and it didn’t exactly have a happy ending Paterno won two national championships (1982 He only had five losing seasons and prior to sanctions had a career record of 409-136-3 You’ll notice a trend in this list of the top 15 players from that extensive era There were certainly plenty of great Oklahoma drills in practice over the years The Nittany Lions have an identity and it starts with those two positions The end of the Paterno era was far from the peak but Royster was part of two 11-win teams in 2008 and 2009 Royster was the focal point of those teams on offense and had three straight seasons with over 1,000 rushing yards Royster was efficient with his career average of 5.7 yards per carry 2008 was his best year when he finished third in the Big 10 in rushing yards with 1,236 yards and 12 touchdowns with an average of 6.5 yards per carry He deserves mention on this list as Penn State’s all-time leading rusher but he was more of a compiler than a superstar Royster was drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL draft by Washington © 2025 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands ","https://fansided.com/",{"alt":"6k","src":"6l","url":"6m"},{"type":"6j","value":"6n"},"link","Minute Media","https://www.minutemedia.com/",{"text":"6q","url":"6r"},{"type":"6p","value":"6s"},"All Rights Reserved Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Minute Media or its affiliates and related brands who has been covering both sports for two years Josh spent two years as a sports betting writer for Minute Media with a specialty in college football and college basketball He is a graduate of George Mason University and a Pittsburgh native Blackledge is 11th all-time in passing yards in Penn State history and has as many interceptions as touchdowns (41-41) but his 1982 season warrants a spot on this list Blackledge threw for 2,218 yards and 22 touchdowns and led the Nittany Lions to the national championship with a Sugar Bowl win over Georgia Blackledge went 13 of 23 passing for 228 yards and a touchdown including the clincher on a play-action pass to Gregg Garrity in the fourth quarter Blackledge was named the MVP of the Sugar Bowl despite Warner’s 177 yards and two touchdowns He was also awarded the Davey O’Brien Trophy as the nation’s best quarterback He was selected seventh overall by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 1983 NFL draft Paterno was still getting some of the best linebackers in the entire country Posluzny first-team and Connor second-team Connor is Penn State’s all-time leading tackler with 419 and his 145 tackles in 2007 are the second most in a single season Connor was a third-round pick in the 2008 NFL draft It’s not easy to find statistics for an interior defensive lineman from the 1960s in college football but the people voting on the major awards in college football were blown away by Reid’s 1969 season and so was the NFL Reid finished fifth in Heisman voting and was drafted 7th overall in the 1970 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals Reid is the greatest defensive lineman in Penn State history and won the 1969 Maxwell Award which is presented to the best player in college football Reid played five years in the NFL and was an All-Pro twice He became an acclaimed songwriter and won the 1984 Grammy for Best Country Song for “Stranger in my House” which was recorded by Ronnie Millsap Dennis Onkotz is the godfather of Linebacker U at Penn State He was a two-time All-American linebacker and played on the back-to-back 11-0 teams in 1968 and 1969 that won consecutive Orange Bowls Onkotz led the team in tackles both seasons with 71 in ’68 and 97 in ’69 He was also a ball-hawk over the middle of the field with 11 picks The most remarkable part of his career was as a punt returner There aren’t many linebackers returning punts but Onkotz returned 47 in his career for an average of 13.2 yards Onkotz played one year in the NFL for the Jets Courtney Brown was dominant as an edge rusher during his time at Penn State that he was drafted first overall in the 2000 NFL draft by the Cleveland Browns the Nittany Lions’ all-time leader in sacks he was a part of great defenses and was at times the most dominant player on the field In 1999 Brown had 13.5 sacks and earned the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year honors He was also named the MVP of the 1999 Outback Bowl Penn State was typically built on the defensive side of the ball Engram was so dynamic that he is now only fifth in Penn State history in receptions but is still first in receiving yards by 184 yards He averaged a staggering 18.1 yards per reception and in 1994 He had 1,029 yards on 52 catches with seven touchdowns and won the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver Engram still leads Penn State in receiving touchdowns with 31 and he was an effective punt returning He led the NCAA in punt return yards in 1993 The 1978 Nittany Lions nearly won the national championship and their quarterback Chuck Fusina nearly won the Heisman Trophy that year Penn State went into the Sugar Bowl at 11-0 and No 1 in the country but lost to Alabama and finished No Fusina finished second in Heisman voting that year with 1,859 passing yards and 11 touchdowns He was actually better statistically in 1977 when Penn State went 11-1 and won the Fiesta Bowl That year Fusina was eighth in the country with 2,221 passing yards and threw 15 touchdowns Fusina eventually became a USFL star before the league folded Warner ended his career at Penn State with 177 yards and two touchdowns in the 1983 Sugar Bowl He outplayed Herschel Walker and led the Nittany Lions to the first national championship of the Joe Paterno era and the first since 1912 Warner ran for 1,041 yards and eight touchdowns his second consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season and third straight year with 1,000+ scrimmage yards The NFL took notice of his final season specifically his final game against Walker Warner became the third overall pick in the NFL draft behind future hall-of-famers John Elway and Eric Dickerson Penn State should have gotten a shot at the national championship but was forced to play in the Rose Bowl after joining the Big 10 conference before the 1993 season Paterno’s team finished the year 12-0 behind Kerry Collins Collins led the Big 10 in passing yards in his fantastic 1994 season He threw for 2,679 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 10.1 yards per attempt Collins was named the Maxwell Award winner in 1994 but wasn’t even the highest finisher in Heisman voting on the team Collins was drafted fifth overall by the Carolina Panthers in the 1995 NFL Draft but he wasn’t the highest drafted Nittany Lion either but his final year at Penn State he went for 1,539 yards on the ground and 23 touchdowns he finished second in Heisman Trophy voting to Rashaan Salaam In Penn State’s 1994 undefeated season, Carter capped off the year with an impressive Rose Bowl. He opened the game with an 83-yard touchdown and finished with 156 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries The Bengals selected him in that spot a few months after the Rose Bowl victory Posluzny was a part of a resurgence at Penn State but when Posluszny became a captain in 2005 The Nittany Lions went 11-1 and won the Orange Bowl in 2005 Posluszny was named the 2005 Butkus Award winner as the nation’s best linebacker and won the 2005 and 2005 Bednarik Awards as the nation’s best defensive player He was a Consensus All-American in his junior and senior seasons Posluszny finished his career as Penn State’s all-time leading tackler but was passed by Dan Connor the next season Posluszny was drafted in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills and his NFL career was successful Conlan was a great outside linebacker for LBU his entire career but his greatest moment came in the 1987 Fiesta Bowl Conlan had eight tackles and two interceptions in the Nittany Lions’ win over Miami With Penn State trailing 10-7 in the fourth quarter Conlan reeled in his second pick of the game and returned it 38-yards to the Miami five-yard line Conlan had immediate success in the NFL after being drafted No He was awarded the Defensive Rookie of the Year and made three straight trips to the Pro Bowl the next three years Penn State has a storied history on the football field In 1973 he ran for 1,522 yards and 17 touchdowns on 286 carries It was just his second season playing at Penn State He led Penn State to a perfect 12-0 season and an Orange Bowl win in his acclaimed 1973 season His Heisman trophy acceptance speech was unforgettable He dedicated the award to his younger brother Joey who was dying of leukemia Cappelletti was drafted 11th overall by the LA Rams in the 1974 NFL draft Jack Ham was the last player chosen for a scholarship 1970 was Ham’s best statistical season with 91 tackles and four interceptions which earned him honors as a Consensus All-American Ham is better known for his NFL accomplishments winning four Super Bowls across 12 seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers 2 spot on this list because he is the only player in Penn State history to be inducted into both the College and Pro Football Hall of Fame After winning the Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 1998 LaVar Arrington took his play to the next level in 1999 he won the Bednarik Award as the nation’s best defensive player he led Penn State to an Alamo Bowl win and a No Arrington became known for the “LaVar Leap” where he would time up the opponent’s snap count and jump over the offensive line to make a tackle 2 overall in the 2000 NFL draft by Washington Reps Discussed Naming Football Field After Joe Paterno.css-3hcdeq{margin:0;font-size:1.2rem;-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;font-family:Proxima Nova,Proxima Nova Fallback Helvetica,Proxima Nova Fallback 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violation of a state law requiring such governing bodies to hold deliberations in public view, continuing a "decadelong pattern of the board convening behind closed doors." 16 (a "briefing" on the proposal) and again on Jan "The Administration and the Board of Trustees have embarked on numerous change initiatives based on President Bendapudi's vision and goals and are focused on these priorities to continue to provide a world-class academic and student experience for years to come," an unnamed Penn State spokesperson said via email when asked by Massey about the alleged meetings That spokesperson added that "counsel conducted this privileged informational briefing and no deliberation occurred" and said that "confidential and privileged matters" were discussed by the trustees The spokesperson maintained the meetings fell under legal guidelines The trustees were already sued in December by Spotlight PA and Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press for potential violations of the Sunshine Act Pennsylvania's open public meetings law the NCAA vacated his wins between 1998 and 2011 (they were later restored) and Penn State was fined $60 million and hit with a number of recruiting sanctions That set off a number of lawsuits and legal battles and has continued the debate over whether Paterno's legacy should be tarnished or if he was incorrectly accused of a cover-up Naming the football field after him would reignite that debate If you stuck around through the end of ESPN’s “The Paterno Legacy” this week you might’ve been surprised by a brief interview highlighting a downtown tribute to the late Penn State coach you’ll spot a multicolored wall beneath the entrance to Target and Federal Taphouse Each represents the school colors of a team Penn State defeated under Joe Paterno’s watch throughout his storied coaching career “It’s essentially a dedication to those 409 wins,” said Gary Brandeis who helped develop the Fraser Centre complex in 2016 and spearheaded the mural’s creation “We carefully curated the tile colors to match the team color that the win represented.” says perhaps 99% of people who walk by the mural aren’t aware of its significance The inclusion of art on the side of the retaining wall is required under the borough’s building codes but Brandeis sought to give the project a greater significance than a simple code fulfillment “We didn’t really tell anybody We didn’t put up a plaque,” he said in ESPN’s documentary “We certainly weren’t hiding it but we weren’t seeking any sort of recognition for it a subtle reminder to the success the team had and what it meant to the community.” Brandeis said more proper recognition for the mural (likely through a plaque) could come to fruition if the Penn State community’s relationship with Paterno were to settle itself he says the low-key tribute works just fine The often-overlooked tribute to Paterno isn’t new. In fact, it was featured at length by the Centre County Gazette back in 2019 it’s clear that ESPN’s inclusion of it in this month’s documentary has revitalized interest in the subtle nod to Paterno’s record-breaking wins the next time you stroll down South Fraser make sure to take a closer look at that colorful mural Matt proudly served as Onward State’s managing editor for two years until graduating from Penn State in May 2022. Now, he’s off in the real world doing real things. Send him an email ([email protected]) or follow him on Twitter (@mattdisanto_) to stay in touch “What’s funny to me is that after spending so much time telling other people’s stories I conclude my time here by writing about my own.” and admission is free for students with valid identification “I don’t know what’s next for me Former Penn State coach Joe Paterno allegedly told former assistant Mike McQueary in 2001 that it wasn't the first time he had heard that Jerry Sandusky had sexually abused children, according to a 2011 Pennsylvania State Police report obtained by CNN who went to Paterno after witnessing an alleged act of abuse by Sandusky in 2001 was allegedly told by Paterno that it "was the second complaint of this nature he had received" against Sandusky Sandusky was convicted in 2012 of 45 counts of child sexual abuse He maintains his innocence and is appealing while serving 30 to 60 years in state prison who was a graduate assistant coach at the time went to Paterno the morning after allegedly seeing according to the police report obtained by CNN "an extreme sexual act occurring between Sandusky and a young boy" late on a Friday night in a team shower sat back in his chair with a dejected look on his face" and that the Hall of Fame coach's "eyes appeared to well up with tears." McQueary also filed a complaint to former university president Graham Spanier former vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley The three university officials told Sandusky not to bring children onto campus anymore A criminal investigation into Sandusky did not begin until a Pennsylvania school district reported another complaint about him in 2008 The scandal led the university to fire Paterno, who died a few months later in 2012. He was never charged with a crime, although unsealed depositions by alleged victims said Paterno knew of the abuse as far back as 1976 Paterno told a grand jury in 2011 that he first learned in 2001 of inappropriate sexual contact by Sandusky involving young boys "I do not know of anything else that Jerry would be involved in of that nature You did mention -- I think you said something about a rumor and I could not honestly say I heard a rumor," Paterno testified Paterno told a reporter before his death in early 2012 -- just months after Sandusky's arrest -- that the first inkling he had that Sandusky might be abusing children occurred in 2001 though there are records that show high-ranking Penn State officials dealt with a complaint in 1998 by a mother who said Sandusky had showered with her son Saying "I wish I had done more" about accusations that one of his former assistants had been sexually abusing young boys for more than a decade Penn State football coach Joe Paterno just confirmed that he will retire at the end of this season who holds the record for most wins by a Division I coach "I am absolutely devastated by the developments in this case I grieve for the children and their families "I have come to work every day for the last 61 years with one clear goal in mind: To serve the best interests of this university and the young men who have been entrusted to my care "That's why I have decided to announce my retirement effective at the end of this season At this moment the Board of Trustees should not spend a single minute discussing my status They have far more important matters to address I want to make this as easy for them as I possibly can "My goals now are to keep my commitments to my players and staff and finish the season with dignity and determination And then I will spend the rest of my life doing everything I can to help this University." Penn State's last home game of the season is this Saturday against Nebraska has two more regular season games after that and if it "wins out" could be in the Rose Bowl Game on Jan Penn State football coach Joe Paterno will retire at the end of this season, his son Scott has told The Patriot-News of Harrisburg, Pa Word of Paterno's decision was first broken a short time ago by The Associated Press which cited "a person familiar with the decision" and said Paterno will announce the news later today The legendary coach's decision comes amid a scandal that has rocked Penn State and college football Former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested over the weekend and charged with 40 counts related to the alleged sexual abuse of young boys over more than a decade And two university officials were charged with lying to a grand jury about what they knew and failing to report the allegations to police had been told in 2002 that Sandusky had been seen doing something of a sexual nature with a young boy in Penn State's locker room The coach told the university's athletic director about the incident Paterno has not been charged with any crime Now 84, Paterno has been Penn State's head coach since 1966. This season he broke the record for most wins by a Division I coach when he recorded his 409th victory in the team's most recent game