Joe Paterno Press Conference: Will Joe Pa Survive Rest of Season at Penn State?

Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno is under fire for his role in the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Although he hasn't been charged with any crimes, people feel Joe Pa could have done more when given information about Sandusky's actions.

It's a messy situation that has sparked a discussion about Paterno's job security and lasting legacy. Now, Mark Viera and Pete Thamel of the New York Times are reporting that Penn State's long-time coach is on shaky ground.

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The board of trustees has yet to determine the precise timing of Paterno’s exit, but it is clear that the man who has more victories than any other coach at college football’s top level and who made Penn State a prestigious national brand will not survive to coach another season. Discussions about how to manage his departure have begun, according to the two people.

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Paterno recently took over sole possession of first place on the Division I wins list and has a storied career that few coaches in history can match. However, it turns out that this scandal might even be large enough to take him down, which shows how big it has become.

He's going to have a real difficult time navigating his way through all the criticism in order to save his job. As the allegations continue to grow, Paterno will always be looked at as the guy who didn't do enough to stop things from happening again.

Even if Joe Pa didn't know the extent of Sandusky's actions, the fact he knew something about them and didn't make a concerted effort to ensure they never, ever happened again is a big enough failure to be worthy of either stepping aside or being removed.

It would be a sad ending to a magnificent career, but there aren't many other options.

One thing that is certainly not an option is attempting to sweep it all under the rug. Nobody will accept that type of laissez-faire approach in the age of technology. Statements will need to be made and answers will need to be given, eventually.

If Paterno does get replaced, it will prove once and for all that some things are indeed bigger than winning football games.