Jerry Sandusky Indictment Tarnishes Squeaky-Clean Image of Penn State Football

Jerry Sandusky helped build Penn State’s reputation as Linebacker U, serving as a defensive assistant to Joe Paterno for three decades (including six years as linebackers coach). Now, Sandusky’s own reputation has been shattered by a horrific set of criminal charges.

As reported by The Patriot-News, Sandusky has been indicted for sexually abusing minors. The felony charges include 40 different counts of such offenses as aggravated indecent assault and indecent assault of someone under 13.

Sandusky, who retired from coaching in 1999, has devoted his time since then to Second Mile, a children’s charity he founded. The criminal charges cover various dates ranging from 1996 to 2005.

Although Sandusky’s alleged illegal activities would appear to have little connection to his coaching duties, the indictment will still reflect badly on the school and on Sandusky’s former boss, Joe Paterno.

Sandusky made his name as a Penn State coach, and regardless of the fact that he’s been gone for 10 years, he’s still very much associated with the school.

Few programs have traded more on their good names than the Nittany Lions, whose biggest recruiting asset is Paterno’s reputation for running a tight ship that still turns out NFL talent. Penn State doesn’t do scandals, and the fact that Sandusky has been charged with such a repugnant crime will make the blow to the school’s reputation that much worse.

The fact that the charges didn’t come until a decade after Sandusky’s departure from the team will help the school weather the storm. Still, it will be harder for Paterno to sell his program as a bastion of old-school morality with Sandusky’s shadow looming in his past.