The Audible: Jay Paterno on life inside Penn State's sordid scandal

Published Jun. 17, 2014 10:30 a.m. ET

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All hell broke loose in November 2011 at State College, Pennsylvania.

Legendary Penn State football coach Joe Paterno was fired, along with school president Graham Spanier, in response to how the school handled sexual assault allegations brought against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

Overnight, the story raged on social media and brought a crush of media attention unlike anything college sports has ever seen. With international news outlets reporting on the case, the story escalated on its own terms.

"We couldn't control it," former Penn State assistant coach Jay Paterno, son of Joe, said.

In January 2012, Joe Paterno died of cancer, eliminating the possibility of him ever fully discussing any possible role he may have had in the Sandusky scandal. Five months later, Sandusky was found guilty on 45 counts of child sexual abuse.

Now, several years later, Penn State is trying to move forward from the scandal while Jay Paterno tries to give his family's side of the story and correct facts he believes have been incorrectly reported.

Jay Paterno recently joined The Audible with Bruce Feldman to discuss what life was like inside Penn State's vicious scandal during this social media age, where rumor, fact and context travel seamlessly at the same speed.

To listen to the conversation, click on the player below.

More episodes of 'The Audible With Bruce Feldman':

QB coach Kevin O'Connell on grooming Johnny Manziel for the NFL.

Art Briles on Baylor's post-RG3 rise to Big 12 elite.

Ed Orgeron: USC is still 'the best place in the world' to play, coach.

Kliff Kingsbury on Texas Tech, Johnny Manziel and public life.

Les Miles on LSU, the SEC, his persona and famous quirks.