Jerry Sandusky Sex Scandal: Joe Paterno Should Step Down in Happy Valley

Things are quickly getting uglier and uglier in Happy Valley.

The Nittany Lions, a surprising 8-1 and current favorites in the Big Ten, are in the headlines for all the wrong reasons.

While it isn't recruiting violations or football operations level misdeeds, it is something that will cost this program terribly.

Former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky has been indicted in charges of, as Deadspin perfectly put it, "a litany of sex crimes" against children from the mid-1990's to the late 2000's.

But it doesn't end there. While the allegations against Sandusky included absolutely heinous and unthinkable acts committed against children, the university is also in trouble for not taking action.

The Deadspin report indicates that two Penn State administrators, including athletic director Tim Curley, are charged with perjury and failure to report suspected child abuse.

Quite simply, a lot of trouble is about to come of this.

And this is why legendary coach Joe Paterno needs to get away from this now before everything hits the fan.

Reports indicate that Paterno, when alerted to information of Sandusky being caught in the Penn State shower by a "distraught" graduate assistant, went to Curley in 2002.

He personally took no further action against the coordinator, but the Patriot News of Harrisburg cites a source that says Paterno will, in fact, testify against Sandusky.

This whole investigation is going to stain a lot of years and a lot of figures from a great era in Penn State Nittany Lions history.

The most important name that is going to have to step down will be Paterno himself.

The 84-year-old coach doesn't need this.

Joe Paterno is Penn State football. And with things about to get this ugly for the program and school, he doesn't need to be dragged under with it.

There may be no better opportunity to step out than after this season.

The Nittany Lions have a chance to win the Big Ten and the Rose Bowl.

Paterno, who's won more bowls than any coach in history, deserves an opportunity to go out the best way possible.

He doesn't need to step down because he did something wrong. In fact, as far as we know, he did everything the way it should have been done in this scenario.

He should step down because there is a good chance this program will take a turn for the worst after this.

Paterno deserves better.