News conference canceled amid reports Paterno departure is near
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Penn State football Coach Joe Paterno leaves his house for football practice on Tuesday afternoon. -
Members of the media wait outside Coach Joe Paterno's house in State College for Mr. Paterno to make a statement. -
Penn State sports information director Jeff Nelson walks away from the media outside the Beaver Stadium after announcing the cancellation of Coach Joe Paterno's weekly press conference. -
Members of the media await outside Beaver Stadium at Penn State for Coach Joe Paterno's weekly press conference. The event was canceled by university officials.
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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Amid a report that Joe Paterno may soon be out as Penn State's head football coach, the university canceled his weekly news conference that was set to begin at 12:30 p.m. today.
The cancellation comes amid a scandal that has enveloped university administrators over allegations that former coach Jerry Sandusky sexually abused children in campus facilities.
"Due to the ongoing legal circumstances centered around the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today's press conference cannot be held and will not be rescheduled," Sports Information Director Jeff Nelson said, reading from an unattributed, prepared statement.
Paterno's son Scott told The Associated Press that the decision was made by President Graham Spanier's office.
PG VIDEOScott Paterno said his father was disappointed and was prepared to take questions about the scandal as well as the upcoming game against Nebraska.
The New York Times is reporting that sources say Paterno's tenure as coach will soon be over, in days if not weeks. Discussions have begun about how to manage his departure, though the precise timing has not been determined by the board of trustees, the Times reported, citing two unidentified sources.
On Twitter, Scott Paterno called the report premature and said his dad will be on the sideline Saturday for the game against Nebraska at Beaver Stadium.
Others close to the situation told the Post-Gazette that Paterno's support is eroding among the trustees.
The 84-year-old Paterno's latest three-year contract extension ends after this season.
Paterno, wearing a blue Penn State jacket, emerged from his his house about 2:15 p.m. and was surrounded by reporters as he made his way to a car to go to his team's practice.
"I know you guys have a lot of questions and I was hoping to be able to answer some today, but we'll try to do it as soon as we can," he said.
In response to reporters' questions about his job status, his son, Scott Paterno, said, "No one has asked him to step down."
"Nothing has changed at this point," Scott Paterno said. He said his father still planned to coach the team Saturday.
First Published November 8, 2011 11:48 am
