One of the finest and most influential figures in college football history is longtime Penn State University head coach Joe Paterno.

Joe Paterno has an overall coaching record of 372-125-3. He’s also 23-10-1 in bowl games and he’s won two NCAA National Championships (1982, 1986).

But it’s what he does off the field that makes him a true college football legend.

What many don’t know is that Joe Paterno started what was known as the “Grand Experiment” in 1970. The idea behind it was to get collegiate athletes a solid education and make sure they were not only their best on the field, but also in the classroom as well.

Every year, Paterno requires that all of his players have above-average success in the classroom and more times than not, his student athletes don’t fail him. Throughout the years, Penn State football players consistently have outstanding graduation rates and are often among the top 10 in Division I scholastics.

Being a former English major, Joe Paterno often makes sure that his athletes don’t use incorrect grammar when talking to reporters or fellow teammates. You won’t hear “We played good today,” out of a Penn State Nittany Lions player.

On top of what he does for students’ scholastic achievements, Joe Paterno and his wife Sue have donated more than $4 million to expand the Pattee Library on PSU’s campus. They’ve also helped raise an additional $13.5 million in private donations for the library’s construction.

Joe Paterno is now in his 80s and over the past four or five years, there has been talk through the media of his impending retirement. But you don’t usher a legend out – he can leave whenever he pleases. That’s how much Joe Paterno means to Penn State University and college football. He deservedly writes his own ticket. 

Not many coaches can touch what Joe Paterno has brought to college football over the years. He’s a true college football legend and an outstanding coach.

Joe Paterno’s Career Awards and Achievements:

1972 Walter Camp Coach of the Year
1978 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1981 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
1982 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986 SI Sportsman of the Year
1986 Eddie Robinson Coach of the Year
1986 Paul “Bear” Bryant Award
1994 Walter Camp Coach of the Year
2002 Amos Alonzo Stagg Award
2005 Bobby Dodd Coach of the Year Award
2005 The Home Depot Coach of the Year Award
2005 Walter Camp Coach of the Year

This entry was posted on Sunday, July 20th, 2008 at 7:49 pm and is filed under Football, General, Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.