Joe Paterno Fired: 5 Things Penn State Must Do To Move in the Right Direction

Obviously everyone is well aware of the events that have transpired in State College over the course of the last few days. 

The events leading up to the firing of Joe Paterno and the resignation of University President Graham Spanier are well documented.   

Whether you believe that Paterno was rightfully terminated or wrongly labeled a scape goat and relieved of his duties in order to appease the media and public at large is none of my concern. 

Penn State has a long tradition, not only as a football powerhouse, but as a terrific institution of higher education.  

In fact, if you ask me, and I believe there are many people that would agree, that the two kind of go hand in hand. 

Big time sports brings in big time money.  Big time money helps bring in big time students to study in big time programs.  Penn State has for a very long time, followed this model and followed it very successfully. 

All of this is now in peril. 

Though known as Happy Valley, the last few days the campus and community have felt more like Death Valley...and for good reason.

The charges levied are serious and should be handled as such. 

I aim to provide the blue print of what Penn State needs to do in order to handle this situation and get the program back on track.

Penn St Needs To Own the Situation

The University took an important step towards accomplishing this piece of the puzzle last night when they fired Paterno and accepted the resignation of Graham Spanier. 

However, those in charge of Penn State can not stop here.

Saturday's "Blue Out" is another step in the right direction.  I have read in several different places that instead of their traditional "White Out" the university has proposed that all Nittany Lion fans should show their allegiance to their university by wearing blue, a color associated with various anti-child abuse organizations. 

Penn St needs to continue in this mold. 

They need to reach out to the biggest anti-child abuse organizations and immediately place themselves as one of the biggest advocates.  They need to aggressively campaign that what happened on their campus cannot happen anywhere else.

Clearly there were mistakes made on multiple levels.  The backlash will certainly help make people aware of the repercussions of not only committing these heinous acts but also what happens when others witness and have knowledge of such acts and sit idly by. 

Penn State can not afford to sit idly by any longer.  They need to own this cause, not just for public relations sake but because it is the right thing to do.

Blow Up the Infrastructure

Unfortunately for the coaches who remain on the Penn State staff, they shouldn't be there much longer. 

At this moment in time, Penn State has a real possibility of winning the Big 10 conference this season.  While I find it unlikely that they actually will win the conference championship, the fact remains that it is a possibility nonetheless. 

With this said, winning the Big 10 will earn them a spot in a BCS bowl game.  A game where they will probably end up being trounced—a fact that has no relation to the ongoing scandal but more to the point that their offense is dreadful. 

Even if Penn State rallies and pulls together and runs the table through their bowl game, I still believe that the coaching staff will go. 

If this were war, they would be what's known as collateral damage.  They will be handed their walking papers simply for the fact that they were present when all of this went down. 

I am by no means saying that any of these men were even aware of what had occurred in the past.  They are guilty by association and more so the stigma that is sure to linger will be even more prevalent with their continued employment with the Penn State football team. 

Bringing in a new staff and allowing them to start from scratch is absolutely the way to go. 

This way there is no carry over from the Paterno-run teams.  Everything is starting fresh.  The coaches can institute their own policies and then run the team as their own.   

Bring in a Big Name Coach

This point goes hand in hand with the third slide but it must be stressed that hiring a new coach just to hire a new coach isn't going to cut it. 

To say that this scandal will hurt Penn State's recruiting is probably an understatement.  However, there are certain coaches whom I believe will draw top talent regardless of whether they are taking over the defending national champions or a team like Penn State, that is in complete and utter disarray. 

It's really no shock that the Nittany Lions are looking for a new coach.  Everyone knew that one day Paterno was going to retire.  In fact it's the norm, every January to begin hearing, this is it for Paterno...when does Urban Meyer come in.  How about Al Golden?

The difference is that if Paterno had left on his own accord after this season, with no scandal, without and skeletons in his closet, Penn State may have been able to cheap their way out of hiring one of those aforementioned coaches as a replacement. 

At this point though, Penn State needs a game changer.  They need someone who can come in and hit the ground running.  They need someone who can get out and recruit.  Someone who draws in the big talent. 

As importantly though, they need a coach who can do these things and remain in good character.  Penn State is sorely hurting for a leader.  They need someone with integrity and principle who can do the right thing by this university.  Someone who can live up to the expectations of leading one of the proudest programs in the country. 

It will not be an easy job.  Taking over for a legend like Joe Paterno is not a job that most people would want or could handle—particularly with the way that he went out. 

The selection committee who is tasked with finding this replacement has their work cut out for them, but there are several coaches who I feel meet these standards and would make excellent replacements. 

Be Transparent

If Penn State wishes to regain any of their credibility they must become transparent.  It's an old trick that politicians love to use during campaigns; however, it's something that is rarely practiced. 

In this case, however, Penn State can't promise transparency and then not follow through. 

If I know anything it's that crimes against children, particularly these types that are of a sexual and violent nature, are regarded as the worst of the worst. 

Simply put, this is not something that will soon be forgotten. 

The University as well as the football program need to be open and honest during the ongoing investigations. 

By showing that they want to help the investigation as opposed to dodging and ducking questions and hiding behind denials it will go along way towards helping Penn State football recruit the student athletes that they are so accustomed to attracting. 

Disassociate with the Past

As much as it pains me to say for Penn State football to move on, they will have to move on without any association with Joe Paterno.

First and foremost, Paterno has not handled himself very well in this aftermath.  He stated that he would retire of his own accord at season's end, even going so far as to say that the board of trustees should not bother wasting a single minute on pondering what his future with the program should entail.

Excuse me?  They shouldn't bother?  Sorry Coach, but if you'd have owned up and stepped down when this story broke, then you'd be correct in your statement that they needn't worry about your future. 

Instead you attempted to undermine their authority. 

It doesn't work that way. 

Joe Paterno let everyone down with his inaction. 

It's a shame that it has come to this, but the only way Joe Paterno should ever see another Penn State game is if he stays at home and watches it on TV like the rest of us. 

Anything less is irresponsible and unconscionable.