Jerry Sandusky Scandal: Abrupt Retirement from Coaching Was a Warning Sign

When Jerry Sandusky retired as defensive coordinator from Penn State football after the 1999 season as a 55-year-old man, it was a bit of a shock to some around the college football landscape.

Sandusky was a top assistant at an elite program. The Nittany Lions were a very good team at the time and Joe Paterno was 72 years old, and few would have thought that he would go on to coach the team for another decade-plus.

Why would Sandusky walk away from decades of football accomplishments during the prime of his coaching career?

Well, in May of 1999 Paterno told Sandusky he would not be his successor as head coach of Penn State football.

So someone who has built incredible defenses that have won national titles isn't worthy of being the head coach someday? Seems a bit weird, doesn't it?

Even if Sandusky wanted to spend more time with his foundation, The Second Mile, which helps at-risk children, it seems odd that he would leave football at a time when his resume was so unbelievable.

If head coach at Penn State wasn't a career option, why not another head coaching job at another top school?

When Sandusky was alleged of improper conduct with an underage male in 1998 in a shower at an on-campus football facility, no criminal charges were filed.

Even after Sandusky retired, he was never linked to a high-profile job. A coach with an amazing resume of national championship success and developing first round NFL draft picks wasn't linked to a top school. Again, seems a bit odd.

With what we've learned about regarding this scandal during the last week or so, including information from the grand jury report, it now makes us wonder why we didn't connect the dots sooner.

Something fishy had to be going on. Highly successful coaches just don't walk away from elite universities during the prime of their careers to dedicate more time to a charity.