The Penn State Board of Trustees, reacting quickly to a child-abuse scandal that has rocked the University, fired both head coach Joe Paterno and president Graham Spanier, the school announced Wednesday.
Paterno has been at the center of controversy since reports surfaced on Saturday that former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky had been accused of molesting eight boys from 1994 to 2009. Reports say that Paterno was notified in 2002 of Sandusky’s conduct by a graduate assistant, who saw Sandusky assaulted a boy in a school shower, but didn’t contact authorities.
Paterno announced on Wednesday that he would be retiring following the season, but instead, he was replaced by defensive coordinator Tom Bradley, who was named interim coach.
Paterno, in his 46th season as head coach of Penn State, holds the record for the most victories by a college football coach with 409. He won national championships with Penn State in 1982 and 1986, and has won three Big Ten title with the school.
Spanier, who had been with Penn State since 1995, was replaced by Rodney Erickson, who will be the interim school president.
