Plenty of Penn State lettermen— including former quarterback Matt McGloin— want to see Beaver Stadium renamed in Joe Paterno’s honor but one of McGloin’s former teammates isn’t among them.
‘You’re Trying to Erase 46 Years…’: Joe Paterno’s Last QB Wants Penn State to Name Field After Him
For PSU legend Michael Mauti, there’s another way to honor Paterno.
Mauti, like McGloin, was part of Paterno’s last Penn State team in 2011. He was also part of the first team without Paterno, one that is the among the most beloved in school history and probably the most beloved 8-4 team anywhere in the history of college football. Both were leaders on that team and thus are forever linked in Penn State history.
But they have varying opinions on how Paterno should be honored.
WHAT MAUTI WROTE
Here’s what Mauti posted to Twitter.
”I played for Joe Paterno. My dad played for Joe. My brother played for Joe. Certain his legacy isn’t about a name on a field—it’s about what we do on it and the impact we make outside the lines. IMO best way to honor him is to go win a national title. Let’s get aligned around that. WeAre.”
I played for Joe Paterno. My dad played for Joe. My brother played for Joe. Certain his legacy isn’t about a name on a field—it’s about what we do on it and the impact we make outside the lines. IMO best way to honor him is to go win a national title. Let’s get aligned around…
— Michael Mauti (@Michael_Mauti) March 10, 2025
Indeed, Mauti comes from a family of Penn Staters. His father, Rich, played for Joe Paterno in the 1970s and then spent eight seasons in the NFL. His brother, Patrick, played for JoePa from 2005-2009. But it’s Michael who is the biggest Mauti name amongst Penn State fans.
This speech will never be forgotten by anybody who was around for it.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Mauro also spoke at Paterno’s funeral in January 2012.
https://youtu.be/TZISNXwC_eo?feature=shared
MCGLOIN TOOK A DIFFERENT VIEW
McGloin took a bit of a different stance during Monday morning’s Board of Trustees meeting in which Penn State voted to rename Beaver Stadium.
“Here we sit 14 years later (after Paterno’s firing amid the Jerry Sandusky scandal) and the field at Beaver Stadium has not been named Paterno field at Beaver Stadium.”
“Is this because we’re fearful that we might receive criticism for it? Personally, in my career, if I listened to criticism, I would not have set foot on Penn State’s campus in 2008. If we listened to criticism, this University would not have gotten through the 2012 year, which we all know, is the darkest period any university has ever faced. Without 2012, the year in which we essentially faced the death penalty, this University would look a lot different than it does today. And believe it or not, even without Joe in that year, it was still a major part of Joe Paterno’s legacy. How, you ask? Without his teachings, we all don’t get through it. Without the impact he had on us, we all don’t rally together. Without the things he instilled in us: Dedication, teamwork, honor, commitment. Being part of something bigger than yourself, we all don’t get through it. There’s a great amount of us that still carry on Joe’s legacy and will continue to do so. But by not giving him the honor he deserves, you’re trying to eliminate the past and everything he stood for. Every player that played for him, every player that walked through that tunnel, every player who graduated. Every player who may not have made it. Every player whose life may not have been changed for the better. You’re trying to erase 46 years as a head coach.”
McGloin ended by quoting one of Paterno’s most famous lines “Success without honor is an unseasoned dish. It will satisfy your hunger, but it won’t taste good.”
