Following the Jerry Sandusky scandal at Penn State, it has been tough sledding for Jay Paterno when it comes to finding a new place to coach.
Things have been so tough on Paterno, that he actually reached to Urban Meyer by writing him a letter asking him for a job this past December.
Here is the details from ESPN:
The son of late Penn State football coach Joe Paterno sent a handwritten letter to Ohio State coach Urban Meyer in December, asking for a job.
The letter from Jay Paterno, dated two days before Christmas, was publicized in court documents released Monday as part of a federal lawsuit that Paterno, Penn State quarterbacks coach from 1999 through 2011, and former Penn State offensive line coach Bill Kenney are pursuing against the NCAA.
Both allege they’ve been unable to find other jobs since the NCAA sanctioned Penn State for its handling of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal.
Paterno’s letter congratulates Meyer for his success and wishes him luck in college football’s playoffs. Ohio State went on to win the national championship.
Paterno sent similar letters to West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen and Georgia coach Mark Richt.
It doesn’t surprise me that Paterno is struggling to find work considering the magnitude of the situation that went down in Happy Valley.
Taking the time to sit down and write a handwritten letter is a bit of a lost art these days due to technology, so taking the time to do so shows sincerity, but I’m not sure a coaching staff like Ohio State, Georgia, or even West Virginia wants to take on Paterno’s baggage.