Joe Paterno biography

Synopsis

Early Life

Born in Brooklyn, New York, Joe Paterno was first a star athlete in his own right before spending decades leading others to victory. He served in the U.S. Army during World War II. After the war, Paterno went to Brown University. There he dominated the gridiron as the school's quarterback and led his team to a 8-1 season in his senior year.

After graduating from Brown in 1950, Paterno joined his college coach Rip Engle at Penn State University, serving as the assistant coach. He settled down at Penn State, marrying Suzanne Pohland in 1962. The couple had five children together, all of whom later became graduates of Penn State.

Career Highlights

In 1966, Paterno became the coach for Penn State University. His first season was a draw, with 5 wins and 5 losses, but he worked hard to build up the school's football program. Before long, Paterno racked up impressive scores, including coaching the team to two undefeated regular seasons in 1968 and 1969.

Over the years, Paterno became a beloved figure at the college. He was known for his trademark thick, square-shaped glasses and for his leadership skills. Nicknamed "Joe Pa," Paterno dedicated himself to his team, the Nittany Lions. He even turned down a chance to coach professional football with the New England Patriots in 1973.

Paterno led the Lions to two National Championships—in 1982 and in 1986. In recognition of his contributions to his winning team, he earned the Sportsman of the Year honor from Sports Illustrated in 1986.

In all, Paterno had an impressive record as the Lions' coach. In 46 seasons, he led his team to 37 bowl appearances with 24 wins. In October 2011, Paterno set a record of his own when Penn State defeated Illinois. This victory marked his 409th career win, making him the leader in career wins for Division I coaches.

Sandusky Scandal

Not long after reaching his record-making win with his team, Paterno found himself caught up in a scandal. His former assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, was charged with sexually abusing 8 boys during a 15-year period. Paterno had been informed of a possible attack by Sandusky that took place at the university's sports complex in 2002, but he supposedly did little to follow up on the allegation. When this news surfaced, Paterno came under fire for not doing enough to address this alleged assault.

On November 9, Paterno announced that he would retire at the end of the season, but the college's board decided to dismiss him that same day. After 46 years as a coach, the distinguished Paterno ended his career with a dark cloud hanging over him.