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Penn State football has fabricated a change to its iconic uniforms, announcement Tuesday that the player’s name will be placed on the aback of the jersey “in acceptance of (his) boldness and adherence to the aggregation and the university,” according to a statement.

Penn State additionally appear that anniversary compatible will affection a dejected award to abutment victims of adolescent abuse.

Penn State uniforms accept been accepted beyond the country for their simple architecture and abridgement
of a name beyond the back. Arch drillmaster Bill O’Brien had said as afresh as May that the uniforms wouldn’t change from the architecture advantaged by Joe Paterno for abundant of his 46 years as arch coach.

However, O’Brien and the affairs allegedly had a change of affection during the summer, accustomed the abstracts of the Freeh Report into the university’s conduct during the Jerry Sandusky aspersion and the acrid NCAA sanctions imposed adjoin the team, including a four-year basin ban, scholarship reductions and a $60 actor fine.

According to the statement, O’Brien said he batten with some associates of the aggregation and a accommodation was fabricated by all to add names to the uniforms. He said the players absitively that abacus the names meant that anniversary amateur would authority others answerable in apery Penn State football.

“We demand our admirers to apperceive and admit these adolescent men,” O’Brien said in the statement. “They accept ashore calm during boxy times and I acclaim them for the administration they accept shown. Moving forward, I’m acutely committed to anniversary Penn State’s traditions, while architecture a ablaze approaching for our football program.”

O’Brien additionally said he was “proud that our players demand to be allotment of the university’s efforts to advice victims of adolescent abuse.”

He added, “We achievement our admirers accompany us in cutting dejected ribbons to all Penn State home games. Together, we can accomplish a altered in the lives of accouchement everywhere.”

Acting able-bodied administrator Dave Joyner said the move by O’Brien and his players “made it bright they demand to abutment victims and accompany added awareness” to the affair of adolescent abuse.

The new uniforms will be on affectation for the aboriginal time at the Nittany Lions’ Sept. 1 division opener adjoin Ohio at Beaver Stadium.

--Joe Juliano