Penn State to add names to back of football jerseys
Penn State football has made a change to its iconic uniforms, announcing it will add the player's name on the back of his jersey.
Penn State to add names to back of football jerseys
Joe Juliano
Penn State football has made a change to its iconic uniforms, announcing Tuesday that the player’s name will be placed on the back of the jersey “in recognition of (his) resolve and dedication to the team and the university,” according to a statement.
Penn State also announced that each uniform will feature a blue ribbon to support victims of child abuse.
Penn State uniforms have been known across the country for their simple design and lack of a name across the back. Head coach Bill O’Brien had said as recently as May that the uniforms wouldn’t change from the design favored by Joe Paterno for much of his 46 years as head coach.
However, O’Brien and the program apparently had a change of heart during the summer, given the conclusions of the Freeh Report into the university’s conduct during the Jerry Sandusky scandal and the harsh NCAA sanctions imposed against the team, including a four-year bowl ban, scholarship reductions and a $60 million fine.
According to the statement, O’Brien said he spoke with some members of the team and a decision was made by all to add names to the uniforms. He said the players decided that adding the names meant that each player would hold others accountable in representing Penn State football.
“We want our fans to know and recognize these young men,” O’Brien said in the statement. “They have stuck together during tough times and I commend them for the leadership they have shown. Moving forward, I’m deeply committed to honoring Penn State’s traditions, while building a bright future for our football program.”
O’Brien also said he was “proud that our players want to be part of the university’s efforts to help victims of child abuse.”
He added, “We hope our fans join us in wearing blue ribbons to all Penn State home games. Together, we can make a different in the lives of children everywhere.”
Acting athletic director Dave Joyner said the move by O’Brien and his players “made it clear they want to support victims and bring more awareness” to the issue of child abuse.
The new uniforms will be on display for the first time at the Nittany Lions’ Sept. 1 season opener against Ohio at Beaver Stadium.
--Joe Juliano
By adding names on jerseys??? ...really???— Peas & Carrots- Stupid move. So much for the team concept.— NickFromGermantown
- G'town Nick, you mean the same "team concept" that hasn't won a national championship since '86 and kept Coach Molestor under wraps? Put a blue stripe down the side of the pants to match the helmets.— 5280philly
- They should have given shirts with numbers and names for the coaches, it would have been easier to ID the perps....— CiceroSpuriousDeodatus
- I'm still searching the Freeh Report looking for where it says Paterno covered up for Sandusky.— WilliamKGreen
- That means you haven't read it William. Freeh pointed directly to the e-mail reflecting a discussion where Paterno convinced the others to do the "humane" thing and not turn in Sandusky. He also found that he had knowledge of the 1998 incident, which means that the later incident (the shower rape) was clearly covered up. You Stepfords won't believe anything even if they pull Gricar's body out of a shallow grave under the stadium. But the evidence is overwhelming that they (including Paterno) knew that Sandusky was molesting kids and covered it up so there would not be bad press for the "clean" program. That's why Paterno testified that he wished he had done more---he knew that he should have.— Palestra Jon
- Greenie, did you read in the freeh report where Paterno didn't want to bother the president and the AD on a weekend? How about where Curley said Paterno wasn't happy with punishing sandusky? Or where Joe still allowed the pervert to use the football office after at least two accusations? Keep wearing the blinders.— mike l
- so the 1998 incident which a lot of people knew about was fully investigated by the cops and attorney general and they decided to not press charges. what should people do when cops don't press charges on something? and with the freech report which covered 3.5 million emails and joe's name was mentioned in one of them. curley said that after meeting with joe and thinking about it he wanted to speak with jerry first. it's easy to assume that that meant joe convinced him not too. but it's just as possible to guess that curley had met with joe and then separately had thought about it and decided to meet with jerry.
also, in the court case against sandusky, he was found innocent on the charges from 2001. that should factor in somehow in all of this. it's possible it was investigated back then and didn't amount to much.
and why aren't corbett or child protective services being investigated or talked about? corbett knew about the investigations too, but didn't want to tell the board about them. child protective services had been visiting sandusky's house at least once a yr since the 1980's and never suspected any abuse, other wise I doubt they would have continued to let him adopt children. if sandusky was able to fool child protective services for many yrs who are trained to notice it. I'm guessing it was very easy to fool everyone else.— ebb5000 - How about we put a yellow stripe down the back of the Jersey for being cowards and staying with this corrupt organization.— Mr. Barffington
- This is a desperate move to keep players on the team, just like how Romney desperately accuses Obama of being a dumb black man that destroyed the economy. As soon as Romney played the race card with Obama, then Holder, you knew it was over for him. I am looking forward to the Obama landslide this November. Hopefully, Penn State's season will go like Romney's election campaign as a result of both of their criminality, with Penn States pedophiles protection plan and Romney being a tax cheat and having committed years worth of fraud and other felonies.— eldiablodelsol2009
How Mr. Barfington wears a scarlet letter NITWIT tatoo on his forehead for demeaning a team which had nothing to do with with the actions of the pervert and his concealers. If there are cowards here, certainly the police who failed to do their duty and the VP who was their boss are cowards. Just because their is not enough to indict in one particular case doesn't mean you give up. A dedicated honest cop will continue to surveil and try to catch the molester if possible. If they tried later and the higher ups -- who knows how high -- blocked them, that is another story.— Jack Hughes- Noooooooooooooo!!!!.....wait a minute, i dont care— astroqueen0
- Another slap in the face for JoePa!— The Philly Shadow
- This is an example of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. They should be able to discern what should be changed and what should not be changed. Here's a hint - keep the good, ditch the bad...— Bobphxville
- Yea Jack Hughes another Penn State apologist blames the "campus Police" . Lets not forget who employees the Campus Police Jackie Boy; Penn State. JoePa and the administrators who run the corrupt organization you call Penn State should have all vbeen in the State Pen. So keep making excuses for them Jack you show everyone who the real Nit Wit is.— Mr. Barffington
This season is Joe's fourth season on the paper's Penn State beat. He previously covered the Nittany Lions for United Press International from 1976 to 1984.
Emily Kaplan is the Inquirer’s fall intern covering the Nittany Lions. She is a senior at Penn State and has covered a variety of sports for the university’s student-run paper, The Daily Collegian. Over the last two years, she has reported for The Associated Press from State College.
A Montclair, N.J. native, she has also interned at MLB Network, NHL.com and covered the 2012 Olympics in London. Follow her on Twitter here @EKaplan24.
