By DAN GELSTON
AP Sports Writer
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -
They came to Happy Valley, 90,000 strong, to chant and cheer and stand
by their team in a new era of Penn State football.
By the end, as the Nittany Lions trudged off the field, a battered fan base would need at least another week to celebrate.
Hours after fans made their
cathartic drive to Beaver Stadium, handmade signs and banners attached
to their RVs, they quietly sang their alma mater.
You know, the song with the lyrics, "May no act of ours bring shame."
But in a clear display of
coach Bill O'Brien's challenge ahead, the new, short-handed Nittany
Lions wore down in the second half, and Ohio, from the Mid-American
Conference, upset Penn State, 24-14, on Saturday. It was a sad ending
for a devoted fan base that came ready to rock the house, after scandal
rocked the program.
"I thought it was a great atmosphere," O'Brien said, "in the stands at Beaver Stadium."
Indeed it was, despite the
loss. O'Brien, in fact, led the charge in the first home opener without
Joe Paterno since 1949, his players behind him, storming the field as
more than 97,000 fans kicked off a new chapter in the program's
tarnished history with a raucous and sustained ovation.
Then came the familiar refrain that has echoed through the stadium for decades:
"We are ... Penn State!"
The Nittany Lions want to
make headlines for more than lurid tales of child abuse. As a result,
this opener was about more than football. And it showed.
Penn State held a moment of
reflection Saturday for all victims of sexual abuse. Penn State also
asked fans to pause and know that all those affected by abuse are
remembered in their hearts. Then, a university accused of placing
football above all turned the page when it invited 600 athletes from all
of its sports teams to participate in the pregame show as part of Penn
State's "One Team" motto.
Yes, this would be a time
to remember all those hurt. But the tagline in the scoreboard highlight
video made it clear Penn State's program was ready for "the next
chapter."
When the team arrived at
the stadium, O'Brien, the former offensive coordinator with the New
England Patriots, was the first person to deboard off bus No. 1,
followed by his game captains Derek Day, Jordan Hill, Gerald Hodges and
Matt McGloin.
Boisterous fans waited at the tunnel entrance for hours and lined the road like a parade route as they waited for team busses.
They showed love for the
former coach with chants of "Joe Pa-ter-no!" before turning their
shrieks toward O'Brien. There were thunderous roars for the players as
they exited the bus. Clearly, the fans showed they will stand by the
players that stuck with the program.
More than 90 percent of the roster stayed after the NCAA handed down its punishment July 23.
"Getting off the bus was a
crazy feeling," Hill, a defensive tackle, said. "The support that we got
was one of the best things I've ever felt, seeing all the fans out
there outside when we got off the bus."
So much has changed on the
field, but the lively atmosphere remained the same outside Beaver
Stadium. Even in defeat, the overall mood around the program is that of
pride, perseverance and support - for both O'Brien and Paterno.
The latter's widow, Sue
Paterno, arrived with her daughter, Mary Kay, about 15 minutes before
kickoff and came in through an employee entrance. When asked by the
Associated Press what Saturday's game meant to her, she quietly said she
"just wants us to win." Sue left the game before the fourth quarter, in
order to watch a grandson's youth football game.
Former Penn State running
back Franco Harris, outwardly vocal in his support of the Paternos
through the scandal, watched the game in a suite - next to a life-sized
cutout of "JoePa."
"I am excited about our new
beginning with coach Bill O'Brien," Harris said. "But I will never
forget our history and what we accomplished."
Paterno was fired in
November following 46 seasons, days after former assistant Jerry
Sandusky was arrested on child molestation charges. Paterno's son,
quarterback coach Jay Paterno, also left the staff.
Tailgaters still backed
Paterno in the parking lots, though many wore "We Bill-ieve" shirts,
endorsing Penn State's new leader, who has been a steadying force within
the program for nine months.
Though Paterno's statue was
removed July 22, the day before the NCAA announced sanctions for the
Sandusky scandal, many fans still journeyed over to its spot, while
others illustrated their support. One tailgater, in fact, had a 16-foot,
homemade banner that read "409 wins with honor," referring to Paterno's
victory total. Other fans donned shirts that read "We Are ... Still
Proud."
Where the statue used to
stand, a fan placed a Paterno bobblehead between the trees. Others
stopped to snap pictures with cellphones and cameras. Dressed in Penn
State jerseys, Cindy and Mark Wascavage of Washington, N.J., paused to
remember the man they say will always be the face of Penn State
football.
"It makes you wanna cry," Cindy, 54, said as she saw the bobblehead.
The couple has held season tickets for nine years and has always admired the former coach, even through these difficult times.
"He was the whole football
program," Cindy said, while Mark believes during this proud season, win
or lose, all of Penn State will stand united.
At Paterno's gravesite,
fresh flowers were added to the fading collection of notes and
memorabilia by Rob Elchynski, 44, who stopped by with his wife and
friends before the game.
"I think it's critical to
the moving-on that they talk about, that they start playing football
again," Elchynski said, walking back to his car after saying a short
prayer at the grave.
The students, alumni and
fans outside the stadium were nearly unanimous in their stance that
Paterno received a raw deal and the university should have dug in and
fought back against the NCAA sanctions. Indeed, they've united behind
the program following strict NCAA sanctions including a four-year bowl
ban.
"We're maybe more
determined than ever to be supportive," Mike Bealla, of Harrisburg, Pa.,
said. "If you're a fan, you're a fan. The spirit will be there."
About 90 minutes before
kickoff, a plane flew over Beaver Stadium with a banner reading "Oust
Erickson/Trustees," referring to Penn State president Rodney Erickson.
But through it all, good behavior ruled the day. In fact, State College
police reported no incidents.
The weather was tough for
some, though. With temperatures topping out around 90 degrees, there
were some fans who required heat-related aid, according to the school's
department of public information.
On the field, of course,
the players donned their new jerseys, complete with names on the back.
That was O'Brien's call, tinkering with the classic look in order to
recognize the players who stuck with the program amid the scandal. It's
always been about family at Penn State, and so it's no surprise that
Karen Caldwell, the wife of equipment manager, Brad "Spider" Caldwell,
stitched the names on the jerseys.
A blue ribbon was also placed on the back of helmets to show support for child abuse victims.
"Sweet Caroline," the Neil
Diamond classic, was scrapped for rock music blasted at ear-ringing
decibels that would have made Paterno cringe. In fact, as the Nittany
Lions took the field for warm-ups, "Thunderstruck" by AC/DC was the song
of choice.
Atmosphere and positivity
aside, there were still scores of empty seats and rows deep into the
game, which is unusual for an opener. The announced crowd was 97,186.
Beaver Stadium seats 106,572, and last year, the Nittany Lions averaged
105,231.
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