Joe Paterno

Joseph Vincent Paterno (born December 21, 1926 in Brooklyn, New York), nicknamed Joe Pa, has been the head coach of The Pennsylvania State University's college football team since 1966.

Head Coach

Upon Engle's retirement in 1965, Paterno was named coach of the Nittany Lions for the 1966 season. That year his team went 5-5, but the following season he led the Lions to 8 wins and an appearance in the Gator Bowl. Two years later, in 1968, Paterno had his first undefeated season, and repeated that achievement in 1969. From 1973 to 1983, Penn State went to a bowl game every year.

Related Topics:
1965 - 1966 - Gator Bowl - 1968 - 1969 - 1973 - 1983

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Although the 1968, 1969 and 1973 teams went undefeated, it was not until 1978 that Paterno would coach in his first national championship game. The 1978 Nittany Lions cruised through the 1978 regular season at 11-0, but lost to Bear Bryant's University of Alabama team 14-7 in the Sugar Bowl. In that game, the Crimson Tide stuffed 4 runs up the middle at the goal line, in one of the most famous goal-line stands in college football history. Penn State's unimaginative, goal-line play calling garnered much criticism.

Related Topics:
1968 - 1969 - 1973 - 1978 - Bear Bryant - University of Alabama - Sugar Bowl

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Paterno claimed his first national championship in 1982, with a 27-23 Sugar Bowl victory over a University of Georgia team led by Heisman Trophy winning running back Herschel Walker. Although Paterno has a reputation as a run-oriented coach, his 1982 team, led by future first-round draft picks quarterback Todd Blackledge, running back Curt Warner and wide receiver Kenny Jackson, was the first team to win a national championship with more passing yards than rushing yards over the course of a season. The only loss during the 1982 campaign was again to Bear Bryant. The following season, a struggling Penn State team staged a major upset in Beaver Stadium on national television by beating the number 3 ranked Crimson Tide, but only after Bryant had retired and shortly thereafter, died.

Related Topics:
1982 - Sugar Bowl - University of Georgia - Herschel Walker - Todd Blackledge - Curt Warner - Kenny Jackson - Beaver Stadium

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Penn State football has the plainest, and at the same time, one of the most easily recognised uniforms in American sports, and this is not by accident. Paterno does not like flashiness and he does not believe in putting players' names on their jerseys. Paterno's philosophy is to emphasise the team over individual players. Consequently, Paterno does not permit school-sponsored Heisman marketing campaigns, which became common place during the 1990's, especially among non-traditional football power schools with a Heisman candidate. Some people believe that Penn State's failure to hype and promote Larry Johnson, Jr.'s Heisman campaign in 2002 had more to do with Johnson's failure to take home the Heisman Trophy than any media bias against Penn State.

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