Former Penn State Coaches Sue University

Jay Paterno and William Kenney, former assistant coaches at Penn State University, are suing the university, saying their job prospects have been ruined unfairly because of the Sandusky Scandal.

The pair filed suit in U.S. District Court Monday, each seeking $1 million or more in damages.

The two say Penn State too quickly rushed to judgement in the case, accepting both the Freeh Report and NCAA consent decree that laid blame for the scandal on then-head coach Joe Paterno, Jay’s father, and senior university officials who allegedly know about allegations against Sandusky but did not disclose them.

“Penn State also knew or should have known that, by accepting the Freeh Report upon execution of the Consent Decree, the Freeh Report would dramatically increase the publicity given to its unreliable conclusions, effectively terminate the search for the truth and enable the NCAA, in violation of Plaintiffs’ Penn State Rights and NCAA Rights, to force Penn State to accept the imposition of unprecedented sanctions,” the pair say in their lawsuit.

Neither coach was retained by Joe Paterno’s successor, Bill O’Brien. They said their attempts to find employment in football since then have been met with “disinterest and disdain.”

“Although none of the terminated assistant football coaches, including Plaintiffs, had been found at that time in January 2012 to have committed or been involved in any wrongdoing in connection with the Sandusky Scandal, Penn State terminated each of them at the height of the Sandusky Scandal’s dark shroud and without any attempt whatsoever by Penn State to preserve the reputations of these guiltless individuals,” the pair said.