Former Penn State football grad assistant calls WFAN's Mike Francesa

11/15/11, "Ex-PSU Grad Assistant Matt Paknis On WFAN: Paterno Knows Everything," Matt Paknis with Mike Francesa

• Commenter Jay: "Great interview. Wish they would spell his name right in the article."

"A former child-abuse victim himself, former football grad assistant Matt Paknis believes Joe Paterno knew about Jerry Sandusky’s alleged sexual abuse against children years ago.

Pankins joined WFAN’s Mike Francesa on Tuesday to talk about his time at Penn State.

LISTEN: Matt Paknis with Mike Francesa

Pankins was a graduate assistant on the Nittany Lions football staff in 1987 and 1988. He says Sandusky exhibited questionable behavior towards the players back then.

As a childhood victim of sexual abuse, he said he remembered thinking how inappropriate it was when he saw Sandusky tickle and pinch little boys during football camps,

• sometimes putting them in headlocks.

“I thought it was a boundary issue, more than anything else,” Pankins said.

Pankins described Paterno’s rule over the Penn State campus as absolute. “I think he had more power in the state of Pennsylvania than anybody.”

When asked about the possibility that Paterno could not be aware of reports on Sandusky’s behavior Pankins said it was “impossible.”

“Joe knows everything,” he said.

Pankins also said that he could envision a scenario where Paterno attempted to cover up Sandusky’s actions."

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