Jerry Sandusky Scandal: Embarrassment Will Destroy Penn State's Recruiting

November 2011 may go down as the month that destroyed Penn State athletics.

Former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, one of Joe Paterno’s top lieutenants for 30 years, has been charged with 40 counts related to sexual abuse of young boys. According to court documents, Sandusky identified young boys through The Second Mile Foundation, a charity he founded to benefit at-risk children.

On Sunday, the university announced it had barred Mr. Sandusky from going on campus.

It’s sickening no matter how you look at this story.

I’m not here to tell you if he’s guilty or innocent; a long and painful trial will do that.

What will truly destroy one of the most prominent universities in the country is the backlash the college will receive.

If you were currently a top high school player in any sport, why in the world would you want to go to the place they used to call “Happy Valley?"

This is going to be a crushing blow to a school that was already trying to convince young kids that they wanted to play for a guy that was asked about retirement before they were even born. There is a national stigma engulfing Penn State right now, whether it’s fair or not.

This likely won’t effect recruiting for the 2012 season, and maybe even 2013.

4-star OT recruit Joey O’Connor remains committed despite all of the horrific allegations:

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You got a school based on coaches, but then again you don't. They could be gone tomorrow. No matter what, if Coach Paterno is there or not, I still love Penn State.

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The real ramifications won’t be felt for years.

How could a parent let their young kids be around the Penn State program for a football camp?

Kids grow up around the Happy Valley area idolizing the players and hoping to one day become a part of the historic program. After this whole mess, Pittsburgh and Temple sound a whole lot better.

This scandal is far from over in the courtroom; Joe Paterno may even get fired. Yet the long-term ramifications of this will be felt within the program for the next decade.

Right now, the Nittany Lions are 8-1 and ranked 12th in the BCS standings. With an extremely tough three-game slate to finish the season—it will likely be the highest ranking Penn State will receive for a very long time.