Mike McQueary: Penn State Grad Assistant Needs to Take More Blame for Scandal

Much has been made about the fact that current Penn State receivers coach Mike McQueary alerted head coach Joe Paterno of former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky allegedly sexually abusing a 10-year-old boy on Penn State's campus in 2002.

A lot of blame has been placed on Paterno for alerting university administrators, but washing his hands of the matter, even when nothing was done about it.

But McQueary deserves just as much blame.

This was essentially a cover-up by everyone involved that knew of Sandusky's alleged wrongdoings. Sure, Paterno didn't alert police of the matter after administration swept it under the rug. But McQueary also stood idly by when Sandusky continued to roam the campus.

If anything, McQueary was even more to blame than Paterno because he allegedly saw it first-hand, and Paterno only received the story from McQueary.

It all comes down to the fact that everyone knew something was up, but didn't want to be the first to disgrace Penn State's "clean" record or lose their jobs. In reality, they were disgraces themselves for allowing such unfathomable things to happen right in front of them.

There are times when a university's commitment to excellence and prestige backfires. This was one of those times. Everyone was so concerned about hurting Penn State's once-glorious reputation that they turned a blind eye to what was going on around them. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they found some justification in keeping the news a secret. How else would they sleep at night, after all?

On Monday, PSU graduate and YES Network New York Yankees reporter Kim Jones exclaimed on WFAN how she couldn't believe someone of Paterno's caliber would keep the information to himself.

Said Jones, "I cannot believe that his heart is that black."

But I also believe Paterno and everyone involved had become so narrow-minded, so sure that Penn State was the glory of college football, that they were completely oblivious to how disgusting Sandusky's actions were.

"It can't be that bad; this is Penn State," they would say.

Even when they knew deep down that it was that bad.

Nobody should be let off the hook for this, including McQueary.

In the end, maybe leveling Penn State is the only way this once-prestigious empire can rise again.