STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- 

Thousands of people packed a Penn State arena Thursday for one more tribute to Hall of Fame football coach Joe Paterno, who died Sunday at age 85 after battling lung cancer.

The public memorial service at the Bryce Jordan Center capped three days of public mourning. About 12,000 were estimated to have attended.

Nike founder and chairman Phil Knight got a standing ovation at the memorial for defending the late coach's response to an accusation of child sex abuse against a former assistant.

Paterno was fired in November following the arrest of a former longtime assistant on child sex-abuse charges. The university's board of trustees cited Paterno's failure to report an assault allegation to police as a chief reason for his ouster.

Knight said that, "If there is a villain in this tragedy, it lies in that investigation, and not in Joe Paterno's response."

Officials said an estimated 40,000 people paid their respects to Paterno during 14 hours of public visitation. On Tuesday, a blue hearse arrived at Penn State University bearing Paterno's body. Then alumni, fans and former players streamed into the Pasquerilla Spiritual Center.



Franco Harris and Fran Fisher were among those who arrived first for the visitation, and the closed casket was accompanied by a past and a present player at all times as thousands came to pay their respects.



After a private funeral on Wednesday, thousands of people lined the streets as a procession left the Spiritual Center and drove past Beaver Stadium, then headed through downtown State College. A private burial followed the procession.



The Hall of Fame coach's death has prompted an outpouring of tributes and remembrances in honor of his legacy as one of the greatest coaches in the history of college football. Penn State fans and alumni have came to University Park over the weekend to honor Paterno's legacy at the bronze statue of him outside Beaver Stadium.



On Monday, Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Corbett ordered flags lowered to half-staff at state facilities through Paterno's burial.



During his 46-year career, Paterno achieved the Division I coaching record with 409 career victories. Penn State won more football games under Paterno's leadership than any other coach in history, and the team was ranked No. 1 academically out of the top 25 football teams in 2009 and 2011 by the New America Foundation's Academic Bowl Championship Series. Beaver Stadium was renovated and enlarged six times during his tenure.



In addition to his wife, Sue, Paterno is survived by the couple's five children: Diana, Joseph Jr. "Jay," Mary Kay, David and Scott; and 17 grandchildren. All of their children are Penn State graduates, and Jay Paterno was the quarterbacks coach at Penn State until earlier this month.



In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family requests that donations be made to the Special Olympics of Pennsylvania (www.specialolympicspa.org) or the Penn State THON (The Penn State IFC/Panhellenic Dance Marathon): www.thon.org or call 1-800-392-THON.



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