When Jerry Sandusky retired as Penn State’s defensive coordinator in 1999, was it because he decided he was done coaching, or because the football program asked him to step down to keep a 1998 sexual molestation case quiet? The more we review all the information from the time period, the more we’re convinced an agreement was reached for Sandusky to walk away from his job and leave college football for good. There are many reasons that support this theory.
When Sandusky retired after the 1999 season, it was publicly said that he was retiring to spend more time with The Second Mile charity.
Two items from the grand jury presentment could contradict that explanation.
1) Former vice president of business and finance, Gary Schultz, testified that “Sandusky retired when Paterno felt it was time to make a coaching change and also to take advantage of an enhanced retirement benefit under Sandusky’s state pension.”
2) Victim 4 from the presentment “remembers Sandusky being emotionally upset after having a meeting with Joe Paterno in which Paterno told Sandusky he would not be the next head coach at Penn State and which preceded Sandusky’s retirement. Sandusky told Victim 4 not to tell anyone about that meeting. That meeting occurred in May, 1999.”
The problem is the timeline of events proves that Schultz’s explanation does not make sense. Let’s take a look.
May, 1998: Jerry Sandusky is investigated by campus police for showering with a young boy in Penn State facilities. No charges are filed and the case is closed by Gary Schultz.
Sept-Dec, 1998: Jerry Sandusky coordinates the defense of a Penn State team that goes 9-3 and allows opposing teams to score an average of 15.25 points per game.
January, 1999: Sandusky expresses strong interest in developing a football program at Penn State Altoona, where they did not have a football team. Sandusky was still a Penn State coach at this time. Altoona is 40 miles from State College.
May, 1999: Jerry Sandusky is informed by Joe Paterno that he will not be the head coach at Penn State.
July, 1999: Jerry Sandusky announces that the upcoming season will be his last and that he is retiring.
Dec, 1999: Jerry Sandusky, already investigated for sexual assault, takes young boy who is not his son to the Alamo Bowl and allegedly assaults him while on the trip.
Dec, 1999: Penn State finishes the season 10-3 and shuts out Texas A&M in Sandusky’s final game.
Dec, 1999: Sandusky receives professor emeritus standing at Penn State including an office on campus. He receives access to all rec facilities, a parking pass, an internet account, faculty discounts at the book store, and educational privileges. He had full access to the football facilities as well.
There are two questions I have and both point to Sandusky being forced out. In his testimony, Gary Schultz says Joe Paterno felt it was time to make a coaching change. Jerry Sandusky announced his retirement before the season. If Paterno wanted to make a coaching change, why would he allow Sandusky to coach the 1999 season? He wouldn’t have, so there are conflicting explanations. Additionally, how many coaches who are essentially fired also receive the types of privileges Sandusky received?
Second question: If Paterno told Sandusky in May, 1999, that he wasn’t going to be Penn State’s head coach, why did Sandusky remain retired instead of trying to become head coach elsewhere? It was obvious in 1999 — and earlier — that he wanted to be a head coach.
Sandusky was considered for head coaching jobs of Maryland in 1991 and 1996, and Virginia in 2000. He cited his ties to The Second Mile as reasons for not taking those jobs. He was obviously very interested in becoming a head coach throughout his career. Why did he give that up? Because he valued The Second Mile more? Then why didn’t he try to build a program at Penn State Altoona which was nearby his charity? Is it because one of the conditions of his retirement was that he couldn’t coach elsewhere?
There are contradictions for every reason given for Jerry Sandusky’s abrupt retirement in 1999.
We’ve laid out all the facts and the entire timeline of events. Now it’s up to you to decide if Sandusky’s retirement was legitimate, or if it seems like he was forced out in order to keep everything quiet, which would indicate that the cover-up was going on since at least 1998.
More on the Penn State Scandal:
Video: Is Jerry Sandusky Sexually Attracted to Young Boys?
Mike McQueary Says He Stopped Sodomy, Did the Right Thing
Ex-Penn State assistant: Joe Paterno knows everything
Barry Switzer: Penn State Coaches Had to Know About Jerry Sandusky
