Scott Paterno, son of Penn State head football coach Joe Paterno, spoke to a group of more than 40 reporters and fans outside the coach’s State College home.
Joe Paterno left the house in a black BMW driven by Guido D’Elia, the man in charge of football communications and branding for Penn State, and went to football practice.
The coach’s son, Scott Paterno, was the only one to offer comment on the situation regarding the 84-year-old’s coaching future.
“There has been no contact about anything to do with anybody stepping down,” Scott Paterno said. “That’s all we have really at this time.”
As there has been each Tuesday leading up to a Saturday football game this season, the athletic department had scheduled at 12:20 p.m. press conference where Joe Paterno was to speak.
About an hour before the press conference was to get underway, football information director Jeff Nelson said it had been cancelled and would not be rescheduled.
“Due to the on-going legal circumstances centered around the recent allegations and charges, we have determined that today’s press conference cannot be held and will not be re-scheduled,” the press release said.
At the coach’s home, Paterno’s son said reporters would have to ask administration why the press conference was cancelled.
“He did, in fact, want to do the press conference today,” Scott Paterno said.
The coach’s son also added that there has been no contact with the university regarding Paterno “stepping down” as head coach of the Nittany Lions.
“He’s getting ready for a football game…I can’t say anything more than that, guys,” Scott Paterno said. “Because [if I] do so, you’re trying to put context on something that we all know has to be dealt with directly and will be in due course.”
Scott Paterno has been releasing information regarding the coach’s situation throughout morning and afternoon via Twitter.
Referring to the New York Times report stating Paterno’s end as coach of the Lions was imminent, Scott tweeted, “NYT report premature. No discussions about retirement with JVP [Joseph Vincent Paterno].”
If there is more information that Scott Paterno wants to release, he said to follow him on Twitter (@ScottPaterno).
“Guys, the reason why I tweeted, and I apologize that it was through Twitter, I don’t have a real apparatus here where I can notify a lot of people,” Scott Paterno said. “So you’re going to have to follow me on Twitter and then I’ll be happy to, when we know what we’re doing, we’ll let you know.”
As of right now, the status quo holds, Scott Paterno said.
“We have no knowledge other than exactly as everything has always been,” Scott Paterno said. “Joe is the coach of Penn State and that is all I can say at this time. When there’s more to add, I will.”