Penn State Head Coach Joe Paterno Could Lose His Job in Wake of Sex Scandal
Legendary coach Joe Paterno may be in his final days on the sidelines at Penn State, according to The New York Times.
The report cites two unnamed sources close to the PSU Board of Trustees who say that, while the exact timing and manner of his exit is still being discussed, it is clear that Paterno will not be back to coach the Nittany Lions next season.
Paterno, along with top officials in the Penn State administration, has been caught up in recent allegations of child sexual abuse aimed at former PSU defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, who has been indicted on charges of sexually abusing eight young boys over a 15-year period.
Paterno has been criticized for going to university officials, rather than the police, when he allegedly learned of one such incident involving Sandusky and a pre-teen boy in 2002. While prosecutors say Paterno met his legal obligation by reporting the incident to his superiors at the university, some board members and law enforcement officials say Paterno “failed a moral test” by not taking further steps when university officials failed to act.
Penn State athletic director Tim Curley and another top administration official have already stepped down and have been charged with perjury in the case for failing to report the allegations to authorities. Paterno’s weekly press conference, which was scheduled for Tuesday morning, was abruptly canceled less than an hour before it was to begin.
The 84-year old Paterno recently set the record for most career wins (409) as a head coach. He has been the Nittany Lions’ leader since 1966 and has won two national championships.