Originally the award was intended to be awarded annually to the college football head coach who best exemplified "Penn State head coach Joe Paterno’s dedication to the development of student-athletes and the advancement of the university beyond just athletics".
[1] The award was presented by the Maxwell Football Club, based out of Ambler, Pennsylvania.
Following the breaking of the Penn State sex abuse scandal in November 2011, the club announced that the award would be discontinued.
[2] To determine the winner of the award in 2010, the staff of the Maxwell Football Club solicited nominations from 69 FBS schools.
Winning and exceeding expectations on the field were vital components of the evaluation process, but the club also reviewed graduation rates of the players and the coach’s overall impact on the community, including philanthropic and volunteer efforts.