Penn State University's Board of Trustees held a 10 pm ET post-meeting press conference to discuss next steps in the school's ongoing attempt to dig itself out of the Jerry Sandusky muck. The biggest news: yes, 61-year Penn St. Nittany Lions football coach Joe Paterno will not retire at the end of the season, pushed out by a unanimous board vote. He won't coach another game, meaning he's been fired, and was notified over the phone "earlier this evening."
VIDEO: Joe Paterno Fired, Penn State Board Makes Official
He’ll be replaced in the interim by Tom Bradley, longtime defensive coordinator. Mike McQueary, the former graduate assistant-turned-assistant coach who alerted Paterno to an alleged sex crime committed by Jerry Sandusky, will not see his status change.
President Graham Spanier, as expected, was also announced as having resigned. He appears to have accepted his fate more willingly than did Paterno, who earlier in the day insisted the Board not waste its time discussing his future.
An attempt at a live transcript of the press conference’s opening remarks:
Dr. Spanier is no longer president of the university. In addition, Joe Paterno is no longer the football coach. Effective immediately.
These decisions were made after careful deliberation and in the best interest of the university as a whole. Penn State always strives for the highest moral standards in all of our activities. We promise we are committed to restoring public trust in our university.
For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. Follow all of SB Nation's coverage of the Jerry Sandusky investigation in our StoryStream.
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