Jeremy Morgan

Since Penn State Nittany Lions Head Football Coach Joe Paterno took the reigns in 1966, he has amounted a record of 409-136-3. But the more staggering number to pay attention to, is in Joe Pa’s 62 year tenure as head coach at Penn State, his team has reached a bowl game in all but 8 seasons. Seems crazy right? Well that’s because it is, and now he will be retiring come season’s end. Midway through Wednesday morning, Paterno announced that he will not be returning next season as coach of the Nittany Lions for the first time in 62 years. That was the original plan in place, but the latest developments have sent not only Paterno, but also President Graham out of their current positions, effective immediately. All of this was the result of an investigation involving former Nittany Lions defensive coach Jerry Sandusky’s recent arrest on multiple counts of child molestation involving young boys, some instances occuring on Penn State campus grounds. Paterno, after learning about these allegations multiple years ago, reported Sandusky to the athletic director Tim Curley who basically swept the report under the carpet, ignoring the allegations. Unfortunately for Paterno, recent scrutiny has fallen on him, as numerous people, including victims of childhood molestation, have spoken out saying he should have gotten the Pennsylvania Police Department involved. Others feel Paterno did the right thing, and that it was the athletic director’s responsibility to take further measures to look into Sandusky’s case.
So two sides to look at here. Paterno does the right thing, according to both sides, by reporting Sandusky to the Athletic Director at the time. The contrast between the two, lies where the “moral activists” feel Paterno should have exercised his power and taken the story to the police. Those in support feel Paterno did his job legally and it was then in the hands of the Athletic Department.
Unfortunately, Paterno cannot take back his decision not to go any further after reporting the allegations to the athletic department. What is now being overshadowed is Penn State’s record on the season (8-1, 5-0 in conference), giving them tops in the Leader’s Division in the Big 10 conference.
So now it is late Wednesday night as the breaking news reports come flying into news desks across the country stating Paterno will no longer hold the longest active tenured coaching spot in college football. Nor will the President of Penn State University hold his position any longer either. Now in the running for longest active tenured College Football Coach, Frank Beamer, Virginia Tech Hokies Head Coach since 1987. Now that Joe Pa’s reign has come to a close, hopefully the question of greatest college football coach ever follows him more closely than the question of why he didn’t take allegations about his assistant to the police.