Saturday night, Joe Paterno made it very clear why he’s still coaching in the same place he was on September 17, 1966 — the night of his first victory.
“People ask me why I stuck around so long,” said Paterno, who, 399 wins later, became the first coach in FBS coach in history to reach 400 victories with a 35-21 comeback win over Northwestern. “Look around.”
Paterno stood at the center of a podium in front of the south end zone. Cameras flashed, fans chanted his name and players eagerly looked on during his speech. Some wore smiles, others had tears in their eyes and many held signs and donned white hats reading, “400 The Paterno Way.”
The iconic coach joined Eddie Robinson and John Gagliardi as the only coaches in college football history to reach the milestone. Gagliardi is first all time with 477 career victories, 453 of which came at Division III St. Johns (Minnesota). Robinson had 408 wins, all of which came at Grambling of the FCS.
In a career that has seen Paterno win two national titles, total five undefeated seasons and earn 24 bowl victories, reaching 400 wins could be the legendary coach’s last great accomplishment.
Paterno had his arm around his wife, Sue, and three generations of Paternos stood on stage, while athletic director Tim Curley presented him with a crystal football commemorating his contributions, both on and off the field, to the university.
As is typical of Paterno, he deflected the credit to all the players who have come through Penn State during his 45-year tenure, some of whom are the third generation in their family to play for him.
“The guys that have played here have just all been great,” Paterno said. “And to see the fans all stick around like that — it was very moving for me.”
But No. 400 didn’t come easy. The Lions fell behind 21-0 late in the first half with a lifeless offense and a defense that had trouble stopping shifty Northwestern quarterback Dan Persa.
“If I had my choice,” Paterno cracked in his postgame press conference, “I would’ve had it a little easier.”
For 29 minutes and 10 seconds, it appeared Paterno would have to wait at least another week to reach the milestone.
But instead of taking a knee and heading into the locker room trailing by 21, with 50 seconds remaining in the half, Paterno opted to take a chance. What ensued was a 47-second, 91-yard drive that ended with redshirt sophomore quarterback Matt McGloin finding senior co-captain Brett Brackett in the back of the end zone.
It sparked a run of 35 unanswered points led by McGloin, who entered the game for freshman Rob Bolden in the first quarter. Paterno made the decision to switch to McGloin, who rewarded him by tossing four touchdowns and 225 yards. It was the Lions’ third-straight win, all finished by the former walk-on quarterback.
“To be a part of it, I’m just speechless,” McGloin said. “It really hasn’t sunk in yet. In years you’re gonna remember that night. You were there, and you were quarterback for coach Joe Paterno when he got his 400th win.”
Once McGloin and the offense started to catch fire, the defense and the entire Beaver Stadium crowd followed suit. When the milestone victory became imminent, the fans broke into a chorus of “JoePa-Terno,” and as the seconds ticked down, offensive linemen DeOn’tae Pannell and Eric Shrive lifted Paterno onto their shoulders as he approached midfield.
“All of that was nice,” Paterno said. “Carrying me off the field — we all have a little bit of ham in us. I felt pretty good about it.”
Paterno downplayed the record all week, as did his players and the coaching staff. They were focusing strictly on Northwestern, they said.
But Paterno’s son and quarterbacks coach, Jay Paterno, who had tears in his eyes during his father’s postgame speech to the crowd of 104,147, at least took the time to make sure the moment wasn’t forgotten.
“After we beat Michigan, I said ‘Mom, is [all the family] coming in next week,” Jay Paterno told reporters after the game. “She said, ‘No, why?’ I said, ‘I hate to tell you, but it’s kind of a big deal.’ ”
Jay Paterno choked up again in his postgame interview, noting both the history of the moment and how much his father has meant to the Penn State program.
Former linebacker Jack Ham, who played under Paterno from 1968-70, and called the game Saturday, said he’s sure the record will never be broken.
“This one will stand forever,” Ham said. “It just speaks of what he’s done for this university. When I first went to school a lot of people thought Penn State University was the University of Pennsylvania. It didn’t have an identity and Joe put this university on the map way back when.”
Offensive line coach Dick Anderson, who has been on Paterno’s staff for 33 seasons, echoed Ham’s sentiment. Paterno’s legacy, Anderson said, was cemented well before Saturday’s milestone.
“It was all about integrity, the university, the people and the team,” Anderson said. “For Joe, it’s not about himself. I think personally, I don’t know if there is anybody in the history of Penn State that has done more for Penn State University than Joe Paterno.”