Joe Paterno and Harbaugh. What on Earth could they have in common?
Both won the Big Ten. Both have national titles. Both were very good at developing talent to the next level. Both had run-heavy offenses with old-school, stout defenses.
But what about random negative events centered around both men that eventually changed the game positively on the field for good?
Joe Paterno’s Role in the Birth of Instant Replay
In 2001, Joe Paterno, Penn State’s longtime football coach, normally an affable man, was enraged by officiating that he believed contributed to his team’s two losses. In October of that year, the 75-year-old Paterno provided a striking image when he chased and grabbed an official after a loss to Iowa.
Then, other Big Ten coaches, including Joe Tiller of Purdue, Lloyd Carr of Michigan, and Ron Turner of Illinois, agreed with Paterno and his athletic director, Tim Curley, on the need for an overall review of conference officiating.
Several of them said they believed it was time for the conference to institute instant replay. The Big Ten found itself besieged by its own member institutions over the quality of its football officials.
Three years later, instant replay became a reality when the Big Ten was the first conference in college football to use the technology in real-time.
Out of fallible humans came something great and necessary that improved the game.
<< SHOP THE LATEST PENN STATE GEAR >>
Jim Harbaugh and the Push for Coach-to-Player Headsets
Fast forward to 2023. The undefeated Michigan Wolverines were embroiled in a possible cheating scandal involving ‘sign stealing’ from opposing teams. The Big Ten had another mess on its hands.
Multiple Big Ten teams demanded action and change from conference leadership while Michigan was still under investigation. The immediate solution? Coach-to-player headsets were now approved by the NCAA.
For Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian, this was an adaptation he advocated for throughout the 2023 season. During a brief NFL stint with the Atlanta Falcons from 2017-18, he used the communication systems.
The new technology features a headset for the coach where a microphone feeds directly into a speaker in one player’s helmet. Two players on the field, the quarterback and a designated defensive player, will have the helmet on and it will be identified with a green dot on the back.
On Nov. 16, Sarkisian made his stance on in-helmet communication clear.
“Everybody write an article about ‘Why doesn’t college football have coach-to-player communication?’ so I don’t have to deal with sign-stealing,” Sarkisian said. “I spend half of my week changing signals and signs rather than coaching the game of football. So please, write an article.”
This comment came days after the Big Ten announced that it would be taking disciplinary action against Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh, and on the same day he announced he would be taking a three-game suspension to avoid being investigated by the conference. Harbaugh was not on the sideline for his team’s final three regular-season games against Penn State, Maryland, and Ohio State. The investigation into Michigan’s sign-stealing is still ongoing, but we do know what positive result has come from the chaos.
Once again, something great that improves the game.
Humans aren’t perfect.
More often than not, it’s our own heroes that let us down.
But, there are some huge, great wins for the sport that have come from the mess of fallible humans in college football. And as long as we can glean something good from bad situations, and remember that wherever there are people involved, there will be disappointment, we won’t lose our humanity.
MORE: Pair of Penn State Stars Deservingly Named to Preseason Watch Lists
A note to our readers; If you make a purchase through one of our affiliate links, we may receive a commission
He has been recognized for his work as a photographer and has also contributed to various publications including PennLive and The Weather Channel.
Brad is an Air Force veteran, coach and competitive runner that grew up a Nittany Lions fan as his family is originally from the State College area.
His diverse skillset and experiences provide for interesting perspectives on the college football, and sports topics of the day.
- James Franklin Critics Should Be Careful What They Wish For at Penn State | KULP - September 16, 2024
- Could Penn State Football Lose James Franklin to the Florida Gators? - September 15, 2024
- Penn State Football Survives Scare vs. Bowling Green, 34-27 | Instant Analysis - September 8, 2024