Joe Paterno

CBS Sports is reporting former Penn State head coach Joe Paterno is dead at 85 after succumbing to lung cancer in the aftermath of a child sex scandal that rocked the famous football college where he spent most of his life winning football games.

Assistant coach Jerry Sandusky was accused of molesting young boys on the campus facility over 15 years. Joe Paterno, who knew about the abuse, was then ousted from the school as head coach for not doing and saying more to alert police and authorities.

Paterno testified he alerted an administrator who never contacted police about the abuse.

Sandusky is out on bail after denying charges from defendants that he molested and sexually abused them on school property and at his youth camp.

Paterno lead the Penn State Nittany Lions to four perfect seasons as head coach for 43 years and was about to retire before the scandal broke.