Few colleges have churned out as many star running and fullbacks as Penn State University, NCAA.com reports. From Lenny Moore in the 1950s to Saquon Barkley in the 2010s, Franco Harris is just one of many great backs from PSU. Unfortunately, in the beginning of the 2010s, Penn State became embroiled in one of the most disturbing scandals in sports history.
According to NPR, former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was arrested on 52 counts of sexual abuse in 2011. It was discovered during the investigation that longtime head coach Joe Paterno, as well as others, had known about Sandusky's actions and not contacted the police. Paterno was fired, leading Harris to defend his former coach, Bleacher Report says. Harris' comments led to him being fired by Meadows Racetrack & Casino, who hired him and Rocky Bleier for events at the establishment.
According to the Postgame, he was also stripped of his chairman position on the board of Pittsburgh Promise, a local scholarship program. Despite calls to apologize for his defense of Paterno from many, including Pittsburgh's mayor Luke Ravenstahl, Harris maintained loyalty towards his college coach. In 2016, Harris defended his position and said that the university owed the now-departed Paterno an apology, 247 Sports reports.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).
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