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Joe Paterno's retirement from Penn State may be a messy one. One step of that exit: talking to players he has recruited and coached about the end of his career. Presumably, that's what he will do at an 11 a.m. meeting with Penn State players that Black Shoe Diaries' Ben Jones reports is about to occur.

Paterno's retirement is effective at the end of the 2011 season, and, despite a heartbreaking scandal about horrific abuse by Jerry Sandusky, his players will still play out the year, looking to follow a strong 8-1 start that has put the Nittany Lions in Big Ten and BCS contention.

Prior to the meeting, Penn State wide receiver Justin Brown tweeted "It's about to get real." Logically, it will be far more real on Saturday, when Paterno coaches his last home game on Senior Day against Nebraska.

For more on the Nittany Lions, visit Penn State blog Black Shoe Diaries. Follow all of SB Nation's coverage of the Jerry Sandusky investigation in our StoryStream.