The search for the next Penn State head coach took an interesting turn over the weekend with the news that current Miami coach and former PSU player Al Golden signed a new four-year contract extension that stretches to February 2020.

The current situation at Penn State is truly sad and tragic. We were all shocked by the revelations in the grand jury report involving long-time PSU assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and his 40-count sexual-abuse case. The fallout from this horrific criminal indictment has affected the entire university.

This article on Penn State assistant head coach Jerry Sandusky originally appeared in our 1987 college football annual. Given the horrific, recent tragic events surrounding allegations against Jerry Sandusky, we felt our archival pieces pertaining to Jerry, Joe Paterno and Penn State are worth revisiting to show how revered Sandusky was, not only at PSU, but in the world of college football.

1987 Assistant Coach of the Year: Jerry Sandusky, Nittany's Defensive Lion

By Steven Lassan (@AthlonSteven on Twitter)

For the first time since 1965, Joe Paterno will not roam the sidelines this Saturday at Penn State. Replacing a coach that won 409 games won’t be easy, and the coaching search is even more difficult with an interim athletic director.  

Who will be Penn State's coach in 2012? Here's a look at some realistic candidates, as well as some longshots to watch in the search.

Joe Paterno has been fired from Penn State University. In the wake of the sexual abuse scandal involving his assistant coach Jerry Sandusky, the longest tenured coach in college football's career is now over.