30 Best College Football Coaches of All-Time
By Hayden Hyde
2. Joe Paterno
- Career Record: 409-136-3
- Record at Each School: 409-136-3 at Penn State.
- Bowl Record: 24-12-1
- Honors and Awards: Inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007. 2 National Championships, 3 Big 10 Championships. 5-time AFCA Coach of the Year, 3-time Walter Camp Coach of the Year, 3-time Big 10 Coach of the Year.
Joe Paterno has the most wins in FBS college football. He spent over a half century at Penn State (1950-2011) and is the program, even if they’re distancing themselves from the iconic head coach. During his time, he won 409 games, three Big Ten Championships, and two national championships.
Penn State only had five losing seasons during his 45 years as head coach. He won 24 bowl games and received a bounty of head coaching awards. Paterno was a strong voice for instant replay and is probably the reason it was adopted in the first place.
Of course, many people remember Paterno for his failure to handle the Jerry Sandusky incident in the early 2000’s. This leads to his eventual dismissal and a heavy set of NCAA sanctions for Penn State. Joe Paterno died of lung cancer just two months after his firing.
Despite the negative end to his career, people should still acknowledge Paterno’s ability as a coach and what he did for Penn State.
Next: Bear Bryant