O’Brien Leads Hodges, Three More Game Captains off Blue Buses Prior to Season Opener

Gerald Hodges was the first player off the bus Saturday, trailing first-year coach Bill O’Brien, who was dressed in a blue polo shirt and carrying his leather bag.

Hodges was named one of four game captains for the 12:06 p.m. season opener against Ohio at Beaver Stadium. Matt McGloin, Jordan Hill and Derek Day are the others.

The blue buses took their normal route to the stadium and arrived around 9:15 a.m., about three hours before kick. Team members will dress into their gameday attire at the locker room and get taped up by the training staff there as well. In the past, players changed at the Lasch Football Building and carried their helmets and top shells with them into the stadium.

A large crowd gathered outside the players’ entrance to greet the team, similar to the scene in last season’s home finale against Nebraska, the first game since the Jerry Sandusky scandal broke and Joe Paterno was fired.

Cardboard cutouts of Paterno were spotted around the stadium, and a Paterno bobble-head and bouquet of flowers were placed near where the bronze Paterno statue stood just two months ago.