"In college football, he was always a beacon of light, the kind of guy who did everything the right way. He didn't compromise his standards."
Kevin Conlin played football at La Salle High and went on to play on the offensive line for Paterno in the late 1990s. He recalled the coach's sincerity.
"He was going to tell you the truth at all times, which is one of the greatest things you can say about somebody," said Conlin, now a teacher of American studies and the football team's defensive coordinator at Abington High. "For a lot of players, Joe Paterno was like a father figure. He kind of filled that void when you were away at college."
Mike Carey, the defensive coordinator for Archbishop Wood, the PIAA Class AAA state titlist, and his father, Leo, spent time with Paterno at the Jersey Shore.
"Joe had a great sense of humor, was a terrific communicator, loved Italian food, and loved football," Carey said. "It kills me to see him go out the way he did."
Shawnee coach Tim Gushue had two players play for Paterno. Joe Majarowitz played for the 1986 national championship team, and Jordan Caruso played at Penn State from 1997 to 2000.
"There never will be another person like him," Gushue said. "He will always stand out in my mind as someone who managed to keep it all in perspective, who brought a rational approach to this business. He understood that they still were student athletes, and it's easy to sometimes lose track of that."
Gushue admired Paterno for his demeanor off the field, too.
"He was such an approachable person. My oldest daughter was thinking about transferring to PSU, and I thought, 'I'll take a shot. Let me talk with Coach Paterno.' Sure enough, the phone rings, and it's not even his secretary. It's him. He wanted to know, 'What can I do for you?'
