Joe Paterno

Joe Paterno is the head coach of Penn State University's Nittany Lions Football team, holding the position since 1966. Paterno is one of three active football coaches that have been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.http://www.collegefootball.org/famer_selected.php?id=90141

On November 6, 2010, Paterno reached a career milestone as he won his 400th college football game. The Nittany Lions rallied to defeat the Northwestern Wildcats 35-21 at home.http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/boxscore?gameId=303100213 Paterno is the first major college football coach to reach the 400-win mark. Only two coaches in all of college football have more career wins in the history of the sport. Eddie Robinson of Grambling State in the FCS earned 408 wins while John Gagliardi, coach of the Division III St. John's, had 476.http://scores.espn.go.com/ncf/recap?gameId=303100213

Records released on May 29, 2009, revealed that Paterno is the highest-paid employee at Penn State, making more than $1.03 million from the school alone in 2008.http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/story/11800173

On December 16, 2008, news agencies reported that Penn State University and Paterno agreed on a three-year contract extension. The deal makes Paterno head coach through the 2011 season, with an open-ended clause that allows the deal to be shortened or extended should circumstances change throughout the years. Paterno turned 82 years old on December 21, 2008.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3774049

Paterno began coaching after graduating from Brown University, joining Penn State as an assistant coach. Paterno assumed the head coaching position in 1966 and has remained the coach of the Nittany Lions. Paterno trails only Paul "Bear" Bryant for career victories as a Division-I football coach in the history of the sport.http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html

In 2008, at the age of 81, Paterno led the Nittany Lions to the Big Ten title and a trip to the Rose Bowl. Despite undergoing a hip replacement surgery in November of 2008, Paterno announced that he would"run out of that tunnel" with the team in 2009.http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3718508

• 1981: Bobby Dodd Coach of the Yearhttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 1982: NCAA Championshiphttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 1986: NCAA Championshiphttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 1986: SI Sportsman of the Yearhttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 1994: Conference Championshiphttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 2005: Conference Championshiphttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 2005: Walter Camp Coach of the Yearhttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 2005: AP Coach of the Yearhttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 2005: Bobby Dodd Coach of the Yearhttp://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/paterno_joe00.html
• 2007: Inducted into College Football Hall of Famehttp://www.collegefootball.org/famer_selected.php?id=90141
• 2010: Won his 400th gamehttp://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3774049