Billieve It

(Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

As Bill O’Brien walked to the podium on Saturday to address the public for the first time as Penn State’s Head Football Coach, the collective breath of Nittany Lion fans everywhere was held in anticipation of what he was about to say. Many were outraged over the fact that it took this long to settle for an NFL coordinator. Others believed that a more impressive candidate was out there and interested. The commentators on the Big Ten Network said that O’Brien needed to “hit a homerun” in his press conference in order to win over the Penn State faithful.

Little did people realize, he was already rounding the bases.

In the weeks following the unraveling of the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal, it seemed as though opinions towards Penn State were overwhelmingly negative. From a student’s perspective, the outside world seemed to view the scandal as having to involve everyone affiliated with Penn State. Penn Stater’s everywhere were left to defend themselves by saying “the actions of few do not define the many”, a saying that quickly became cliché. It looked like the outside world had stopped believing in Penn State.

The university needed a special kind of coach. They needed a leader. They needed someone who could help pick up the pieces of a season gone awry. They needed someone who believed in us. Because after the amount of negative attention surrounding State College the past few months, isn’t that all we wanted?

While his success on the gridiron is yet to be determined, the impact the hiring has made in only a few days is worth noting. For the first time in weeks, the uncertainty of who would be the face of the school’s most profitable sport is not an issue. The players now have closure, and after meeting Coach O’Brien, can start to prepare for next year knowing what direction the program is headed.

And for the fans, you finally found someone who believes in you. He could have stayed in the NFL and became a head coach, but instead he came to Happy Valley. He did not have to, but he did because he believes in the players, the students, the community and the culture. More importantly, he believes in The Pennsylvania State University and what the school stands for.

So the next time you wear Penn State clothing or fly a Penn State flag outside your home, remember why you are doing it. You are doing it because you take pride in your school. You are doing it because the university means something to you. You are doing it because you believe in Penn State – the people, the community and the name.

Bill O’Brien believes in Penn State, too. And you should Billieve in him.