Joe Paterno
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Joseph Vincent Paterno (born December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York), nicknamed JoePa, is the head coach of Pennsylvania State University's college football team, a position he has held since 1966. Paterno, along with Chris Ault and Bobby Bowden, is one of three active coaches who have also been inducted in to the College Football Hall of Fame. While Paterno has won the most football games against teams which are currently in NCAA Division I-FBS (formerly Division I-A) Bobby Bowden holds the official record for this feat as his 33 wins while at Howard (not Division I-FBS) are counted as Division I-FBS wins by the NCAA. Joe Paterno also has more bowl game wins and more FBS undefeated seasons than any other coach in college football history.
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[edit] Early life
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Joe Paterno grew up during the Great Depression. He nearly had to leave high school because the tuition of $20 a month was such a burden for his family. In 1944, Paterno graduated from Brooklyn Prep and headed to Brown University to study and play football. At Brown he was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. There, he was a capable but unspectacular quarterback and also played cornerback. He currently still shares, along with Greg Parker, the Brown University record for career interceptions with 14.[2] It was at Brown that he honed his skills as a leader, allowing him to go into coaching after graduation in 1950, joining Hall of Famer Rip Engle at Penn State as an assistant coach. Paterno thought his stint as an assistant coach would be brief, before going to law school. He never went to law school and instead became one of the most famous and recognizable coaches of any sport in the United States.
[edit] Records and accomplishments
At age 81, Paterno is coaching his 59th season at Penn State as an assistant or head coach in 2008, holding the record for any football coach at any university. The 2008 season marks Joe Paterno’s 43rd season pacing the sidelines as head coach of the Nittany Lions, passing Amos Alonzo Stagg[3] for the most years at a single institution.
Paterno's loyalty is so strong with Penn State that he turned down an offer to coach the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1969, an offer he initially seriously considered. (The Steelers ended up hiring Chuck Noll, who would win four Super Bowls with the team in a 23-year head coaching career.) Michigan Athletic Director Don Canham also contacted Paterno in 1969 to see if Paterno (who Canham respected and knew personally) would accept the vacant Michigan job. Paterno turned down the offer and Michigan went on to hire Bo Schembechler. In 1972 Paterno also turned down a head coaching position with the New England Patriots which included a percentage ownership position.
After five years of court battles, the Pennsylvania State Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) released, in November 2007 the highly anticipated salary of coach Paterno: $512,664. The figure is not inclusive of other compensation, such as money from television and apparel contracts as well as other bonuses that Paterno and other football bowl subdivision coaches may earn, said Robert Gentzel, SERS communications director. The release of these amounts can only come at the university's approval, which Penn State Spokeswoman Lisa Powers said will not happen. "I'm paid well, I'm not overpaid," Paterno said during an interview with reporters Wednesday before the salary disclosure, The Associated Press reported. "I got all the money I need." The 80-year-old coach was paid $427,220 in the first 10 months of 2007, putting his year-end salary on track to exceed $500,000. He was paid $490,638 last year, The Associated Press reported.
[edit] Career record
With Penn State's latest win over Texas A&M in the 2007 Alamo Bowl, Joe Paterno has a career record of 373 wins, 124 losses, and 3 ties. Based on the criteria used by the NCAA, this ties the record of Florida State's Bobby Bowden for most victories by a Division I-FBS football coach.
Both Paterno's and Bowden's 373 win total includes a win by forfeit. One of Bowden's wins came by forfeit in 1983 when Tulane's 34-28 victory over Florida State was reversed because of ineligible players.[4] Paterno's 373 wins includes the 1972 Sugar Bowl game, a 14-0 Oklahoma win which Oklahoma was later forced to forfeit for using ineligible players.[5] However, Paterno declined to accept the win while Bowden accepted Tulane's forfeit, so the NCAA officially recognizes that Bowden holds a one-game advantage over Paterno in the wins column.[6]
However, 49 of Bowden's 373 coaching victories came against schools that are not currently in Division I-FBS,[7] while only 5 of Paterno's victories came against non-Division I-FBS schools,[8] so that Paterno has 368 wins against teams currently in Division I-FBS while Bowden has only 324. Following a 3-overtime victory over FSU in the 2006 Orange Bowl, Paterno has a 7-1 all-time record against Bowden (6-0 against Bowden's West Virginia teams and 1-1 against Bowden's Florida State teams).
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl | Coaches# | AP° | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Penn State Nittany Lions (Independent) (1966 – 1992) | |||||||||
| 1966 | Penn State | 5–5–0 | |||||||
| 1967 | Penn State | 8–2–1 | T 17–17 Gator | 11 | 10 | ||||
| 1968 | Penn State | 11–0–0 | W 15–14 Orange | 3 | 2 | ||||
| 1969 | Penn State | 11–0–0 | W 10–3 Orange | 2 | 2 | ||||
| 1970 | Penn State | 7–3–0 | 19 | 18 | |||||
| 1971 | Penn State | 11–1–0 | W 30–6 Cotton | 11 | 5 | ||||
| 1972 | Penn State | 10–2–0 | L (forfeit) 0–14 Sugar | 8 | 10 | ||||
| 1973 | Penn State | 12–0–0 | W 16–9 Orange | 5 | 5 | ||||
| 1974 | Penn State | 10–2–0 | W 41–20 Cotton | 7 | 7 | ||||
| 1975 | Penn State | 9–3–0 | L 6–13 Sugar | 10 | 10 | ||||
| 1976 | Penn State | 7–5–0 | L 9–20 Gator | ||||||
| 1977 | Penn State | 11–1–0 | W 42–30 Fiesta | 4 | 5 | ||||
| 1978 | Penn State | 11–1–0 | L 7–14 Sugar | 4 | 4 | ||||
| 1979 | Penn State | 8–4–0 | W 9–6 Liberty | 18 | 20 | ||||
| 1980 | Penn State | 10–2–0 | W 31–19 Fiesta | 8 | 8 | ||||
| 1981 | Penn State | 10–2–0 | W 26–10 Fiesta | 3 | 3 | ||||
| 1982 | Penn State | 11–1–0 | W 27–23 Sugar | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 1983 | Penn State | 8–4–1 | W 13–10 Aloha | 17 | |||||
| 1984 | Penn State | 6–5–0 | |||||||
| 1985 | Penn State | 11–1–0 | L 10–25 Orange | 3 | 3 | ||||
| 1986 | Penn State | 12–0–0 | W 14–10 Fiesta | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 1987 | Penn State | 8–4–0 | L 10–35 Citrus | ||||||
| 1988 | Penn State | 5–6–0 | |||||||
| 1989 | Penn State | 8–3–1 | W 50–39 Holiday | 14 | 15 | ||||
| 1990 | Penn State | 9–3–0 | L 17–24 Blockbuster | 10 | 11 | ||||
| 1991 | Penn State | 11–2–0 | W 42–17 Fiesta | 3 | 3 | ||||
| 1992 | Penn State | 7–5–0 | L 3–24 Blockbuster | 24 | |||||
| Penn State Nittany Lions (Big Ten Conference) (1993 – present) | |||||||||
| 1993 | Penn State | 10–2–0 | 6–2–0 | 3rd | W 31–13 Citrus | 7 | 8 | ||
| 1994 | Penn State | 12–0–0 | 8–0–0 | 1st | W 38–20 Rose | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1995 | Penn State | 9–3–0 | 5–3–0 | T–3rd | W 43–14 Outback | 12 | 13 | ||
| 1996 | Penn State | 11–2 | 6–2 | T–3rd | W 38–15 Fiesta | 7 | 7 | ||
| 1997 | Penn State | 9–3 | 6–2 | T–2nd | L 6–21 Citrus | 17 | 16 | ||
| 1998 | Penn State | 9–3 | 5–3 | 5th | W 26–14 Outback | 15 | 17 | ||
| 1999 | Penn State | 10–3 | 5–3 | T–4th | W 24–0 Alamo | 11 | 11 | ||
| 2000 | Penn State | 5–7 | 4–4 | T–6th | |||||
| 2001 | Penn State | 5–6 | 4–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2002 | Penn State | 9–4 | 5–3 | 4th | L 9–13 Capital One | 15 | 16 | ||
| 2003 | Penn State | 3–9 | 1–7 | T–9th | |||||
| 2004 | Penn State | 4–7 | 2–6 | 9th | |||||
| 2005 | Penn State | 11–1 | 7–1 | T–1st | W 26–23 Orange † | 3 | 3 | ||
| 2006 | Penn State | 9–4 | 5–3 | T–4th | W 20–10 Outback | 25 | 24 | ||
| 2007 | Penn State | 9–4 | 4–4 | T–5th | W 24-17 Alamo | 25 | |||
| Penn State: | 372–125–3 | 73–47 | |||||||
| Total: | 372–125–3 | ||||||||
| National Championship Conference Title Conference Division Title | |||||||||
| †Indicates BCS bowl game. #Rankings from final Coaches Poll of the season. °Rankings from final AP Poll of the season. |
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[edit] Bowls and championships
Paterno holds more bowl victories (24) than any coach in history. He also tops the list of bowl appearances with 34.[9] He has a bowl record of 24 wins, 9 losses, and 1 tie with his latest win in the 2007 Alamo Bowl. Paterno is the only coach with the distinction of having won each of the current four major bowls—Rose, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar—as well as the Cotton Bowl, at least once. Under Paterno, Penn State has won at least three bowl games each decade since 1970.
Overall, Paterno has led Penn State to two national championships (1982 and 1986) and five undefeated, untied seasons (1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, and 1994). Four of his unbeaten teams (1968, 1969, 1973, and 1994) won major bowl games and were not awarded a national championship.
Penn State under Paterno has won the Orange Bowl (1968, 1969, 1973, and 2005), the Cotton Bowl (1972 and 1974), the Fiesta Bowl (1977, 1980, 1981, 1986, 1991, and 1996), the Liberty Bowl (1979), the Sugar Bowl (1972, 1982), the Aloha Bowl (1983), the Holiday Bowl (1989), the Citrus Bowl (1993), the Rose Bowl (1994), the Outback Bowl (1995, 1998, and 2006) and the Alamo Bowl (1999 and 2007).
Since joining the Big Ten Conference in 1993, Penn State under Paterno has won the Big Ten football championships two times (1994 and 2005). Joe has had 21 finishes in the Top 10 national rankings.
[edit] Awards
Following the 1986 championship season, Paterno was the first college football coach named "Sportsman of the Year" by Sports Illustrated magazine. In 2005, following an 11-1 comeback season in which the Lions won a share of the Big Ten title and a BCS berth, Paterno was named the 2005 AP Coach of the Year, and the 2005 Walter Camp Coach of the Year.
- Amos Alonzo Stagg Award - 2002
- Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award - 1981, 2005
- Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year - 1978, 1982, 1986
- Paul "Bear" Bryant Award - 1986
- The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award - 2005
- Walter Camp Coach of the Year - 1972, 1994, 2005
On May 16, 2006 Paterno was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame after the National Football Foundation decided to change its rules and allow any coach over the age of 75 to be eligible for the Hall of Fame instead of having to wait for an individual to be retired.[10] However, on November 4, 2006, he was injured during a sideline collision that occurred during a game against Wisconsin. As a result of his injuries, he was unable to travel to the induction ceremonies in New York City and the National Football Foundation announced that he would instead be inducted as a part of the Hall of Fame class of 2007.[11] Paterno was inducted on December 4, 2007.[12]
[edit] Officiating and instant replay
In 2002, Paterno chased down referee Dick Honig in a dead sprint following a 42-35 overtime home loss to Iowa.[13] Paterno saw Tony Johnson catch a pass for a first down with both feet in bounds on the stadium's video replay board, but the play was ruled an incompletion; Penn State had rallied from a 35-13 deficit with 9 minutes left in the game to tie the score at 35, and were driving on their first possession in overtime for a touchdown to tie the game at 42. Penn State failed on fourth down and Iowa held on for the win.
Just weeks later, in the final minute of the Michigan game, the same wide receiver, Johnson, made a catch, which would have given Penn State a first down and put them in range for a game winning field goal. Although Johnson was ruled out of bounds, replays clearly showed that Johnson had both feet in bounds and the catch would have been complete.[citation needed]
In 2003, the Big Ten Conference became the first college football conference to adopt a form of instant replay. The previous two incidents, along with Paterno's public objections and statements, are often cited as catalysts for its adoption. Within the next year, almost all of the Division I-A conferences adopted a form of instant replay based on the Big Ten model.[14]
As Penn State football struggled from 2001 to 2004, Paterno became the target of criticism from some Penn State faithful. Many in the media attributed Penn State's struggles to Paterno's advancing age, and contingents of fans and alumni began calling for his retirement. Paterno has rebuffed all of this and has stated he will fulfill his contract which expires in 2008. Paterno announced in a speech in Pittsburgh on May 12, 2005 that he would consider retirement if the 2005 football team had a disappointing season. "If we don't win some games, I've got to get my rear end out of here", Paterno said in a speech at the Duquesne Club. "Simple as that".[15] However, Penn State took a share of the Big Ten title in 2005, gaining the team's first BCS bowl game bid in the Orange Bowl where Penn State defeated Bobby Bowden's Florida State Seminoles in triple overtime.
[edit] Stances on college football issues
Paterno has long been an advocate for some type of college football playoff system. The question has been posed to him frequently over the years, as only one of his five undefeated teams has been voted national champions.[citation needed]
Paterno believes that scholarship college athletes should receive a modest stipend, so that they have some spending money. As justification, Paterno points out that many scholarship athletes are from poor families and that other students have time to hold down a part-time job. On the other hand, busy practice and conditioning schedules prevent college athletes from working during the school year.[citation needed]
Paterno once believed that all true freshmen should be redshirted as allowed under NCAA rules.[citation needed] However, he now plays exceptionally talented true-freshmen so as not to be at a competitive disadvantage. In fact, some Penn State recruits, like recruits at many other schools, now graduate from high school a semester early so that they can enroll in college during the spring semester and participate in spring practice. Several team members from the recruiting class of 2005, including Justin King, Anthony Scirrotto and Derrick Williams all received considerable playing time as true freshmen during the 2005-2006 season.
Paterno has been an outspoken opponent of gambling on college sports. He would like to see an end put to legalized college sports gambling in Nevada.[citation needed]
[edit] Philanthropist and education
In addition to his legacy as a coach, Paterno is highly regarded for his contributions to academic life at Penn State. After the announcement of his hiring in 1966, Paterno set out to conduct what he called a "Grand Experiment" in melding athletics and academics in the collegiate environment, an idea that he had learned during his years at Brown.[16] As a result, Penn State's players have consistently demonstrated above-average academic success compared to Division I-A schools nationwide. Over the past five years, the Nittany Lions' graduation rate as measured by the NCAA was the highest in the country three times, most recently exceeding the national average of 64 percent by 19 points.[17]
Paterno is also renowned for his charitable contributions to academics at Penn State. He and his wife Sue have contributed over $4 million towards various departments and colleges, including support for the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center, which opened in 2003, and the Penn State All-Sports Museum, which opened in 2002.[18] After helping raise over $13.5 million in funds for the 1997 expansion of Pattee Library, the University named the expansion Paterno Library in their honor.[19]
Former player, Franco Harris and his company R Super Foods, recently honored Paterno for his contributions to Penn State by featuring his story and picture on boxes of Super Donuts and Super Buns in Central PA.
[edit] Political interests
Paterno is a political conservative and a personal friend of former President George H.W. Bush, endorsing the then-candidate in a speech at the 1988 Republican National Convention.[16] In 2004, his son Scott Paterno, an attorney, won the Republican primary for Pennsylvania's 17th congressional district but lost in the November general election to Democratic incumbent Tim Holden.[20] Paterno donated $250 to the campaign of Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama in February, 2008. [21]
[edit] Additional Honors
At the Penn State Creamery, Paterno has a flavor of ice cream, Peachy Paterno, named in his honor.
[edit] See also
- Penn State Nittany Lions football
- Penn State Nittany Lions football under Joe Paterno (as an Independent)
- Penn State Nittany Lions football under Joe Paterno (in the Big Ten)
- List of College Football Hall of Fame inductees (coaches)
[edit] References
- ^ Sporting News: Joe Pa's salary revealed: about $500,000
- ^ 2005 Brown University Football Media Guide (pdf). Brown University Sports Information Department (2005). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Joe Paterno GoPSUSports.com
- ^ FSU not worried about forfeits. Baltimore Sun (2007-12-21). Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
- ^ Brant, Tim (2007-12-31). Time To Set The Record Straight. ABC 7 News. Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
- ^ Brant, Tim (2008-01-11). After Further Review... The NCAA Weighs-In. ABC 7 News. Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
- ^ Bobby Bowden Records by Opponent. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
- ^ Joe Paterno Records by Opponent. College Football Data Warehouse. Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
- ^ Paterno says he has no plans to leave Penn State. ESPN.com (2006-12-04). Retrieved on 2007-04-05.
- ^ Paterno & Bowden to Receive National Football Foundation's Highest Honor at Hall of Fame Induction. Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics (2006-05-25). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Paterno Postpones Hall of Fame Induction. National Football Foundation (2006-12-21). Retrieved on 2006-12-28.
- ^ Viera, Mark (2007-12-05). JoePa enters Hall of Fame after 57 years on sidelines. The Daily Collegian. Retrieved on 2007-12-06.
- ^ Fittipaldo, Ray (2002-10-02). Paterno says no apology needed. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on 2007-09-20.
- ^ Instant Replay rundown for the 2005 season. Rivals.com College Football Fanblog. Aug 29 2005.
- ^ Harlan, Chico (2005-05-13). Paterno puts career on line. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on 2007-04-04.
- ^ a b Fittipaldo, Ray (2005-05-23). When we say JoePa YOU SAY .... Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ More Than Forty Members of Penn State Football Team Earn 3.0 GPA During Fall Semester. Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics (2007-01-25). Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Joe Paterno. Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics (2007-01-27). Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Paterno Library. 150 Years: Penn State Sesquicentennial. Centre Daily Times (2005-02-22). Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ U.S. House of Representatives - Pennsylvania 17th. 2004 Election Results. CNN.com (2004-11-23). Retrieved on 2007-01-30.
- ^ Joe Paterno's Federal Campaign Contribution Report. Donation report. Newsmeat.com (2008-02-29).
[edit] External links
- Centre Daily Times Penn State Football coverage
- Penn State Football Searchable History (updated through 1999)
- All Time Record by Opponent (pdf document)
- Penn State Bowl Game Recaps
- Biographical article by Ivan Maisel on ESPN.com
| Preceded by Rip Engle |
Penn State Nittany Lions Head Football Coach 1966-Present |
Succeeded by Current |
| Preceded by Vince Dooley |
Amos Alonzo Stagg Award 2002 |
Succeeded by LaVell Edwards |
| Preceded by Bobby Bowden Paul Johnson |
Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award 1981 2005 |
Succeeded by George MacIntyre Jim Grobe |
| Preceded by Lou Holtz Danny Ford Fisher DeBerry |
Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year 1978 1982 1986 |
Succeeded by Earle Bruce Howard Schnellenberger Dick MacPherson |
| Preceded by First recipient |
Paul "Bear" Bryant Award 1986 |
Succeeded by Dick MacPherson |
| Preceded by Bob Devaney Terry Bowden Tommy Tuberville |
Walter Camp Coach of the Year 1972 1994 2005 |
Succeeded by Johnny Majors Gary Barnett Greg Schiano |
| Preceded by Urban Meyer |
The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award 2005 |
Succeeded by Greg Schiano |
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