Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno and the school's president were fired by the board of trustees amid the growing furor over how the school handled child sex abuse allegations against an assistant coach. Paterno said in a statement earlier Wednesday he was “absolutely devastated” by the abuse case, in which his former assistant and onetime heir apparent, Jerry Sandusky, has been charged with molesting eight boys over 15 years, with some of the alleged assaults taking place at the Penn State football complex. Paterno, the winningest coach in major college football, was ousted Wednesday night at the end of a day that began with his announcement of his intention to retire at end of the season, his 46th. It was not to be. “The university is much larger than its athletic teams,” board vice chair John Surma said during a packed news conference. Paterno and Penn State University president Graham Spanier were informed by telephone of the unanimous decisions to remove them. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley will serve as interim coach while Rodney Erickson will be the interim school president. “The Penn State board of trustees tonight decided it is in the best interest of the university to have a change in leadership to deal with the difficult issues that we are facing,” Surma said. “The past several days have been absolutely terrible for the entire Penn State community. But the outrage that we feel is nothing compared to the physical and psychological suffering that allegedly took place.” Asked what the 84-year-old Paterno did wrong, Surma said: “I can't characterize that. We thought because of the difficulties that have engulfed our university, it was necessary to make changes.” Speaking outside his home, Paterno said: “Right now, I'm not the football coach. And I've got to get used to that. After 61 years, I've got to get used to it. I appreciate it. Let me think it through.” “This is a tragedy,” Paterno said. “It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more.” Paterno has come under harsh criticism – including from within the community known as Happy Valley – for not taking more action in 2002 after then-graduate assistant and current assistant coach Mike McQueary came to him and reported seeing Sandusky in the Penn State showers with a 10-year-old boy. Paterno notified the athletic director, Tim Curley, and a vice president, Gary Schultz. Paterno is not a target of the criminal investigation, although Curley and Schultz have been charged with failing to report the incident to the authorities. After the firings, thousands of students descended on the administration building, shouting, “We want Joe back!” then headed downtown. Almost all the students were decked out in Penn State gear. And police in riot gear responded when students flooded the streets and turned violent. Crowds tipped over a television news van and kicked out its windows and at least one photographer was hit by a rock as a campus known as Happy Valley descended into chaos. Police used pepper spray to control the crowd, but students made their feelings known with chants of “We Want Joe! We Want Joe!” The firings came three days before Penn State hosts Nebraska in its final home game of the season, a day usually set aside to honor seniors on the team. The ouster of the man affectionately known as “JoePa” brings to an end one of the most storied coaching careers – not just in college football but in all of American sports. Paterno has 409 victories – a record for major college football – won two national titles and guided five teams to unbeaten, untied seasons. He reached 300 wins faster than any other coach. Penn State is 8-1 this year, with its only loss to powerhouse Alabama. The Nittany Lions are No. 12 in The Associated Press poll. It has a chance to play in the Big Ten championship game Dec. 3 in Indianapolis, with a Rose Bowl bid on the line.
