Jerry Sandusky

Jerry Sandusky
Gerald Arthur "Jerry" Sandusky (born January 26, 1944) is a retired American football coach. He served as an assistant coach for his entire career, mostly at Pennsylvania State University under Joe Paterno, and was one of the most notable major college football coaches never to have held a head coaching position. He received Assistant Coach of the Year awards in 1986 and 1999.
Early life and football career

Sandusky was born in Washington, Pennsylvania, the son of Evelyn Mae (née Lee) and Arthur Sandusky. His paternal grandparents were Polish immigrants and his mother came from a small coal-mining town. Sandusky played for Paterno at Penn State, starting at defensive end from 1963 to 1965. After graduating first in his class with a B.S. in health and physical education, Sandusky served as a graduate assistant under Paterno at Penn State in 1966, and then held assistant coaching positions at Juniata College (1967) and Boston University (1968). He returned to Penn State in 1969 and remained there as an assistant coach until his retirement at the end of the 1999 season. Sandusky served as defensive line coach in 1969, became linebacker coach in 1970, and was promoted to defensive coordinator in 1977, holding that position until his retirement. In his years as a linebacker coach and defensive coordinator, he coached many outstanding defensive squads, and Penn State gained a reputation for outstanding linebacker play, producing 10 first-team All-Americans at that position, and acquiring the nickname "Linebacker U".

Sandusky spurned opportunities for head coaching positions, including one with the University of Maryland in 1991, in the (unfulfilled) hope of succeeding Paterno as head coach at Penn State.

His final game coaching at Penn State was a notable game for Sandusky. Penn State faced Texas A&M in the 1999 Alamo Bowl in San Antonio, Texas. Inspired to honor Sandusky, the defense produced an outstanding effort and the Nittany Lions shut out Texas A&M, 24–0, the only bowl game shutout victory for Penn State under Paterno. Sandusky was recognized in ways usually reserved for a head coach. He was doused with a water bucket and carried to the center of the field on the shoulders of his players.

After retirement, Sandusky hosted many summer football camps and was active in The Second Mile, a children's charity he founded in State College, Pennsylvania in 1977. President George H. W. Bush praised the group as a "shining example" of charity work in a 1990 letter.[9] Citing Sandusky's work with The Second Mile charity to provide care for foster children, then U.S. Senator Rick Santorum honored Sandusky with a “Congressional Angels in Adoption” award in 2002.

Sandusky wrote an autobiography titled Touched: The Jerry Sandusky Story (ISBN 9781582612706), which was published in 2001. The book includes a quote from ex-Eagles head coach Dick Vermeil about Sandusky: "He could very well be the Will Rogers of the coaching profession." Other books by Sandusky include:

    Developing linebackers the Penn State way, Leisure Press, 1981. ISBN 9780918438645
    with Cedric X. Bryant. Coaching linebackers, Coaches Choice Books, 1995. ISBN 9781571670595
    with Cedric X. Bryant. 101 linebacker drills, Coaches Choice Books, 1997. ISBN 9781571670878

Family

Sandusky is married. He and his wife have six adopted children. The Sanduskys also took in foster children, and their house is next to an elementary school and playground.

One son, Jon Sandusky, serves as Director of Player Personnel for the Cleveland Browns. Another son, E.J. Sandusky, is an assistant football coach at West Chester University.