Mike McQueary: Penn State Coach Must Resign Amidst Jerry Sandusky Scandal

If Mike McQueary truly cares about Penn State and Joe Paterno, then he must officially leave his post as the wide receivers coach for the football team, and in turn, the university entirely.

If McQueary cares about the kids he's coached, especially the ones whose Senior Day against Nebraska has already been ruined by the tragedy of the Jerry Sandusky scandal, then he must resign.

Most importantly, if McQueary cares about the alleged victims of Sandusky's abuses, the innocent children who were molested by a man who turned out to be a monster according to the grand jury report, then he must resign.

Even if McQueary doesn't care about all that, he should leave anyway, if for no other reason than to protect himself from the barrage of threats that have come his way in recent days and the imminent danger that they put him in.

At present, McQueary is on "administrative leave" somewhere outside of State College. According to PennLive.com, McQueary spoke to his players over the phone on Friday afternoon and told them:

"

“I wanted to let you guys know I'm not your coach anymore. I'm done.”

"

Simple as that, yet it hardly resolves McQueary's role in all of this. He is still an employee of the university and will remain so under the protection of a Pennsylvania state law that protects whistleblowers. It's also possible that the state government itself is encouraging the university not to pursue McQueary's termination, as such might jeopardize his participation in the investigation as a cooperative witness. 

That leaves the ball in McQueary's proverbial court. His ties to the university won't be severed unless he does the cutting.

Which, at this point, he should. McQueary can barely go about his daily life at this point, much less fulfill any of his obligations to the university.

Not that he should, out of respect for Joe Paterno, Penn State and, most importantly, the victims and their families. Once again, McQueary is faced with a situation where, legally, he is well within his rights but, morally, he has only one option.

To leave Penn State—the school he undoubtedly loves and cherishes, the institution of which he has been a part for 27 years—and never look back.

Update: The Harrisburg Patriot-News has reported that McQueary is not, in fact, in protective custody. McQueary told that to his players in an ill-fated attempt at dark humor.