Penn State head football Coach Joe Paterno's weekly press conference has been canceled, The Associated Press reported.

"The university president (Graham Spanier) has canceled the press conference," ESPN's Colin Cowherd said on the air. "... Apparently, they did not talk to Paterno about canceling it."

The word came less than an hour before the press conference was to begin. It typically starts about 12:30 p.m. Tuesdays in Beaver Stadium.

National news media had turned out to cover the conference, expected to be Paterno's first media appearance since the emergence of criminal charges against former assistant coach Jerry Sandusky and university administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz.

CNN and ESPN were expected to carry the press conference live.

Penn State athletics spokesman Jeff Nelson had issued this statement to reporters Monday night:

"Media planning to attend Tuesday's Penn State Football weekly teleconference are advised that that primary focus of the teleconference is to answer questions related to Penn State's Senior Day game with Nebraska this Saturday. Head coach Joe Paterno and any Penn State Football student-athletes in attendance will be answering questions about the Nebraska game, Penn State's season thus far and other topics related to the current college football season."

StateCollege.com will post more information as it becomes available. Related coverage is available through the page linked below.

Related content

• StateCollege.com's ongoing coverage of the Penn State charges