Penn State Considers Honoring Joe Paterno with Stadium Field Namesake

The Penn State trustees and officials are discussing naming the football field at Beaver Stadium after longtime coach Joe Paterno, according to a report by Spotlight PA. The meetings took place in January and the naming of the field was strongly advocated for by the trustees, although university officials were initially hesitant. Joe Paterno was fired in 2011 in the aftermath of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, and he passed away just 74 days later at the age of 85. While Sandusky was found guilty and sentenced to prison, Paterno was never charged. After his firing, his statue was removed from outside Beaver Stadium and the NCAA vacated, then later restored more than 100 of his coaching victories. Paterno holds the record for the most coaching wins with 409 victories. The discussions on the field naming were held in two private meetings according to sources, potentially violating a state law requiring governing bodies to conduct business in the public view. A university spokesperson stated that the meetings were conducted appropriately and within the legal framework.