How long has paterno been head coach

Paterno's family says coach is dead Outpouring of grief at Penn State. Under his leadership, the Nittany Lions won two national championships, went undefeated five times and finished in the top 25 national rankings 35 times, according to his official Penn State biography. At the same time, the program never fell under NCAA sanctions for major infractions while producing 13 Academic All-Americans since How will you remember him?

Penn State's board of trustees and President Rodney Erickson said in a statement, "We grieve for the loss of Joe Paterno, a great man who made us a greater university. His dedication to ensuring his players were successful both on the field and in life is legendary and his commitment to education is unmatched in college football. His life, work and generosity will be remembered always. Dignitaries offer condolences. The university is "considering appropriate ways" to honor Paterno's legacy, the statement said, and its athletics department is "consulting with members of the Penn State community on the nature and timing of the gathering.

Paterno was born in in Brooklyn to second-generation Italian immigrants, according to O'Brien's book. He attended Brown University, where he played quarterback and cornerback, according to another Penn State biography. When Paterno decided to forgo a career in law and make coaching his career, his family said Sunday, his father, Angelo, had one command: "Make an impact. That impact has been felt and appreciated by our family in the form of thousands of letters and well wishes along with countless acts of kindness from people whose lives he touched.

Joe Paterno has died Fans pay tribute to Paterno Paterno mourner: He's more than a coach Paterno coached at Penn State as an assistant from to and became head coach in Decked out in his soon-to-become trademark thick glasses, white socks and sneakers, Paterno quickly became a memorable fixture on the football field, leading the Nittany Lions to undefeated seasons in , and again in and the first national championship of his tenure in Named National Coach of the Year five times, Paterno was added to the College Football Hall of Fame in , but his induction was delayed until because of injuries he suffered in a sideline collision.

He became the winningest coach in major college football history in with victories. Paterno "died as he lived," the family statement said Sunday. His ambitions were far reaching, but he never believed he had to leave this Happy Valley to achieve them. He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community. Read family statement. In addition to his exploits on the sidelines, Paterno had a significant impact on the university's academic programs.

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. This is a tragedy. It is one of the great sorrows of my life. With the benefit of hindsight, I wish I had done more. While Joe Paterno was planning to retire at the end of the season, the school decided to fire him immediately.

He was terminated on Nov. It was 74 days after he was fired from the job he loved was when he died. Paterno told the press, "I grieve for the children and their families, and I pray for their comfort and relief.

Paterno later explained that "I didn't know exactly how to handle it," referring to allegations of sexual abuse against Sandusky. It didn't turn out that way. While scandal may have marred his final days as Penn State's coach, Paterno will also be remembered for developing the university's football program into a national powerhouse, and for preparing roughly of his players for the NFL.

Paterno is survived by his wife, five children, and 17 grandchildren. In a statement, his family said: "He died as he lived. He fought hard until the end, stayed positive, thought only of others and constantly reminded everyone of how blessed his life had been He was a man devoted to his family, his university, his players and his community. 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. 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 season in his senior year. After graduating from Brown in , 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 The couple had five children together, all of whom later became graduates of Penn State. We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us! Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.

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