Joe Paterno: Dec. 21, 1926–Jan. 22, 2012

Father Figure
As a coach, Paterno earned a reputation for his fatherly approach to the players on the team, but he has been widely criticized for failing to notify the police when he learned of a 2002 incident involving the alleged sexual abuse of a young boy by Jerry Sandusky, one of his former defensive coordinators.

• Paterno to Step Down as Penn State Coach