Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

While new information surfaced this week that longtime Penn State coach Joe Paterno was aware of allegations of sexual molestation against his former assistant and convicted child predator Jerry Sandusky as far back as 1976, Detroit Lions coach Jim Caldwell said he heard no such rumors during his time with the Nittany Lions.

“No,” Caldwell said when asked about the new allegations today. “Nothing.”

PennLive reported on Thursday, citing depositions in an insurance case against Penn State, that “a child allegedly reported to PSU's Head Coach Joseph Paterno that he (the child) was sexually molested by Sandusky” in 1976.

The court filing also refers to separate instances in 1987 and 1988 “in which unnamed assistant coaches witnessed inappropriate contact between Sandusky and unidentified children.”

Caldwell was Penn State’s quarterbacks coach in 1986-92.

Asked today how much heard about allegations against Sandusky during his time at Penn State, Caldwell said, “Zero.”

Paterno, who died in January 2012, was fired from Penn State in 2011 after revelations that he was aware of Sandusky abusing a boy inside the Penn State locker room in 2002 and failed to notify police.

Sandusky is serving 30 to 60 years in prison.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett

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