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Penn State Student Website Reports Joe Paterno has Died

UNIVERSITY PARK, Jan. 22, 2012 -- Today, a Twitter post from the Penn State student website, Onward State, reported that famed Penn State football coach, Joe Paterno, has died. While there has not yet been any official statement from the Paterno family confirming the report, the death of Joe Paterno would be yet another blow to the Penn State community as it continues to grapple with the repercussions of the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal.

Joe Paterno’s death raises questions as to what the future of the Penn State football program will be and whether or not his legacy will be marred by his alleged involvement in the cover up of the scandal. As a man who dedicated so much of his life and had such a powerful impact on the Penn State community, the loss of Joe Paterno will be felt by faculty, students, and alumni alike.

News of Paterno’s death has already begun widely circulating throughout social media circuits.  Should the Paterno family or Penn State University release an official statement confirming his death, many will likely be struggling not only with the loss of a collegiate football icon, but also with the controversial circumstances under which his legacy came to an end.

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Today, a Penn State student website reported that Joe Paterno has died. Neither the Paterno family nor the university has released an official statement confirming Paterno’s death, but the news is circulating rapidly via social media channels. The news comes on the heels of what has already been a difficult period for the Penn State community following the Jerry Sandusky child abuse scandal, and has left many wondering what the future of the Penn State football program holds.