Maybe Penn State fans should worry. Joe Paterno is 84 years old and is doing much more harm to the program than good. It is pretty common knowledge that Joe is little more than a figure head now. So the team's coordinators and assistant coaches are doing double duty covering for the head coach. I find it pretty obvious that Joe has not done any real coaching since 2004, when Penn State had a 4-7 record. Since then the program has been far better, including two conference titles, thanks to Tom Bradley steering the ship. The biggest issue is can he still recruit? There was a time when every high school player in the country considered Penn State, especially in western Pennsylvania. Now that is not the case. He is unable to relate to 17 and 18 year old kids. Imagine him coming into these kids living rooms to talk them into coming to Penn State. It would be like their grandparents coming over, no high school senior wants to spend the next four years living with grandpa Joe. Think about all the great recruits he has lost to more youthful coaches. Say what you want about Terrelle Pryor, but he was the #1 recruit in the country and passed on Penn State to play for a more youthful and engaged coach at Ohio State. Think about it this way if Penn State gave Joe the boot after this season how many schools would think about hiring him? NONE! No one would put in a call to him or pick up the phone if he called. At the same time Penn State could hire almost any coach they wanted. It is one of the most prestigious highest paying coaching jobs in the country. Not to mention they have had one of the most sought after coaches in waiting for the last 20 years, Tom Bradley. There is absolutely no reason to keep him around. The boosters don't even want him anymore.
Not that I am in any position to be calling for a legends job. Joe is undoubtedly one of the 5 greatest college football coaches of all time. He has more wins than anyone before him and is a 2 time National Champion. You really cannot fault him for not leaving. The school gave him a 3 year extension, after they tried to make him retire and he threw them off his front porch. More power to him. If I was Joe I would never retire.
Somehow this saga will have an ending. The only question is when will it end? The best case scenario is Joe bows out gracefully after this season. It just seems like the right thing to do. His contract is up, the team isn't getting any better, and he has nothing left to prove. Sadly we all know that will not happen, unless Penn State offers the job to his son Jay Paterno. They will not do that, the school hates Jay. So far the school is yet to offer Joe another extension and I am sure they do not want to. If they don't make an offer it will be an ugly situation. You will have a lot of very angry boosters and alumni. However that may be the school's best option. The most likely and saddest scenario is that Penn State will continue to give in to Joe and offer him another extension. If they do that there is no doubt Joe will die while he is the head coach. He simply cannot live forever. He will be 85 next season, well past the average life expectancy. It is not hard to fathom Joe dying while coaching from the booth. Just ponder that, a head coach that coaches from the booth, not the field. That is not at all being a head coach. Remember there is almost no positive way for the situation to end. In all likely hood it will end tragically. I hope Joe takes the high road and retires after this season.
