Longtime Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky is facing felony charges for sexual abuse against minors. The charges include “involuntary deviate sexual intercourse of someone under 16,” “aggravated indecent assault, “indecent assault of someone under 16,” “indecent assault of someone under 13” and “corruption of minors.” The more than 40 counts filed against him stem from 1996 through 2005.

Sandusky played for Penn State when Paterno was an assistant and served as a GA before joining the coaching staff full-time in 1969. He served as defensive line and linebackers coach before being promoted to defensive coordinator in 1977. He served at that position until 1999, when he retired at 55. He had been running a children’s charity, The Second Mile.

The Grand Jury investigation began in 2009, after a 15-year-old boy reported “inappropriate contact” between Sandusky and himself over a four-year period beginning when he was 10. Joe Paterno was among the witnesses called to testify.

This could get a little sticky for Penn State. Sandusky was the subject of a similar allegation in 1998 while still a Penn State coordinator. A 12-year-old boy on a “tour” of the football building claimed that Sandusky showered with him and “washed his body” during the shower. The boy was interviewed by police. No charges were filed.

Sandusky retired at 55 in 1999. In his autobiography “Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story” (yes, that really is the title) he claims it was because he realized he would never be Penn State head coach. The obvious question becomes whether that was really the case and what Paterno and the administration knew about the allegations and whether efforts were made to cover them up.

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