Joe Paterno Fired: What the College Football Community Has to Say About All This

The scandal rocking Penn State right now is causing a lot of different reactions across the country.

As demonstrated last night by the brief riot on campus, many people in State College still feel that Joe Paterno should be the head coach while others are more than pleased that the Board of Trustees fired him on Wednesday.

Here are some of the reactions to this scandal from around the country including players, coaches and college football analysts.

Jim Caldwell

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“I’ve certainly been in prayer for the young people that are involved in this, young men as they are now. I certainly feel for them. I don’t know a whole lot about all the details. I haven’t read through all the transcripts and things of that nature. ... I’m also very close to coach Paterno. It’s tough to see his legacy ending in this way.” — Indianapolis Colts coach and former Penn State assistant

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Jeremy Kapinos

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"Obviously, everybody who's heard about this is disturbed by this. It's gross, and it's a crime where, if it's true, it's the worst of the worst. But, like I've said, I stand behind coach Paterno. He's a guy who has kept players out of games for missing class, so for people to think that he did anything in terms of covering this up, I don't necessarily think that's his M.O." — Pittsburgh Steelers and former Penn State punter

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Mack Brown

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“I’ve known Coach Paterno since I started coaching. I know nothing of the circumstances, but college football will miss him greatly on the field. He has done much for the game, and for Penn State.” — Texas Longhorns head coach

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Greg Schiano

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"I love coach Paterno so am I emotional, yeah. People you love and care about, this is a hard thing for him, I'm sure. I know it is. So it hurts me when someone you love hurts. Other than that I have a job to do. I know he'd want me to do nothing else but take care of my team. Joe is but he's not a big sentimental guy. 'Do your job, kid.' That's what he'd say." — Rutgers coach and former Penn State assistant

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Rich Mauti

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"I don't know enough. Nobody really knows. Maybe that stuff will all come out. Maybe it won't. If he understood the magnitude, maybe he didn't want to believe it back then. Your best friend. You coached with him for 23 years. That's a pretty tight friendship. I don't know if any way shape or form he'd be protecting that. He's not that kind of person. Maybe he just didn't realize the magnitude of what was happening at the time." — Former Penn State player whose son, Michael, is a linebacker on the team.

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Mark Schlabach

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"Paterno was fired because he failed miserably while making the biggest decision of his life...The easiest and best decision for Penn State would have been for him to retire immediately on his own. Instead, Paterno ignored the greater good of the university he professed to love -- and more importantly the well being of the eight known victims and their families -- by selfishly trying to coach the Nittany Lions in a few more games." -- ESPN college football analyst

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Matt McGloin

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"This is a tough time. But the outrage we are feeling now is nothing compared to what the victims are going through. Keep them in our prayers." – current Penn State quarterback

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Bo Pelini

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"I honestly don't know much about what's going on there. I can't speculate on things I don't know. It's not a distraction for our football team. We haven't talked about it. We won't talk about it. I don't believe in speaking on things I don't know anything about. I'll leave it at that." — Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach, whose team plays Penn State on Saturday

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Al Golden

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"Just disheartening, sad and clearly hearts and my thoughts and prayers go out for the young people, the victims in this case, and certainly, equally, my prayers go out to coach, too. It's tough." — University of Miami Hurricanes head coach, who played at Penn State and was on Paterno's staff in 2000.

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Sean Lee

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"It's obviously an extremely sad and shocking situation up there. You just pray for all of those children. You pray for the victims. Obviously, you pray for the families and you hope that justice is done. Then hopefully, once justice is done, Penn State can move on and be the great university it has been. There are a lot of great people up there, and I'm very proud to come from Penn State." — Dallas Cowboys and former Penn State linebacker

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Frank Beamer

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“I’m not gonna pass judgment. I don’t know all the details. Until you know the exact details, exactly what was said, I don’t feel comfortable passing judgment. I do know Joe Paterno very well and consider him a great friend and great for college football. I really think a lot of him. The award that probably means the most to me is the one I got last year, and it was the Joe Paterno Award. It was not only for winning football games, but for academics and how you ran your program. From my knowledge, Joe ran a great program.” – Virginia Tech head coach who now becomes the active leader in wins as a head coach

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Chima Okoli

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"It's criminal the way he went out because he's done so much for this university. He's had such a legacy, and this isn't a fitting end to all the work that he's done for not only Penn State, but for the world." – current Penn State offensive tackle

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