Crafting a Press Release: Joe Paterno Passes Away at the Age of 85

Hypothetically drafted before the Freeh Investigation conclusions and vacated wins:

STATE COLLEGE, PA (January 22, 2012) - The Penn State University family tragically reports that long, beloved football coach, Joe Paterno, has passed away today at the age of 85.  He passed away due to complications from lung cancer.  He is survived by his wife, Sue, and their five children.

Joe Paterno, or "JoePa," as he is known by the Penn State faithful, was born on December 21, 1926, in Brooklyn, New York.  He was drafted into the Army in 1944 and discharged a year later.  He attended Brown University where he played both quarterback and cornerback.  He became an assistant football coach at Penn State in 1950 and eventually became head coach in 1966.

During his time at Penn State, he led the Nittany Lions to two national championships in 1982 and 1986, five undefeated seasons in 1968, 1969, 1973, 1986, and 1984.  He is the only coach to have won all four major bowls - Rose, Orange, Fiesta, and Sugar.  His overall bowl record is 24-12-1.  Paterno won the Big Ten championship outright in 1994 and had two shared championships in 2005 and 2008.  Joe Paterno's overall record is 409-136-3.  He is second in the all-time college football wins list and ranked #13 out of the 50 greatest coaches according to Sporting News. 

Outside of the football world, he worked to make sure that his players were also successful in the classroom, along with the football field.  Penn State's players have consistently performed higher academically than their counterparts in Division 1-A football.  Four-year graduation rates under Paterno were 78%, well above the 67% average all over the NCAA.  He and his wife, Sue, have also donated $4 million to various departments around the university.      

Facebook post:

Today, the Penn State family sadly announces the passing of Joe Paterno.  He has easily become the face of Penn State football and one of the most recognizable names in college football.  We at Penn State are grateful for the decades of service that JoePa has given us and making Penn State one of the premier football programs in the country.  Thank you, JoePa.