Penn St. pep rally opens football weekend

Updated: August 31, 2012, 8:45 PM ET

Associated Press

Penn State Prep Rally

Bill O'Brien addresses the crowd at Penn State prep rally before the 2012 opener.

Penn State Prep Rally

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STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Fans are filling up Beaver Stadium again to get ready for another football season.

After an offseason of turmoil at Penn State, a pep rally is under way to cheer on the Nittany Lions football team and new coach Bill O'Brien.

The traditional cheer of "We Are ... Penn State" roared through the student section. Ohio visits Beaver Stadium on Saturday for the historic season opener.

Scandal embroiled the team all offseason. The NCAA levied strict sanctions on Penn State, including a four-year bowl ban for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

O'Brien is focused on moving the program forward. New signs at Beaver Stadium include the slogan "One Team" -- a motto for the entire athletic department, not just the football team.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press