STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) - The man dressed in blue Penn State sweats with a whistle hanging from his neck barked out orders as he surveyed the offense.

After a troubling offseason for the Nittany Lions program, it was finally time for Bill O'Brien to get back to coaching football."I want Penn State to turn the page and move forward, understanding why we are," O'Brien said Monday after holding the team's first preseason practice - and the first workouts since the NCAA leveled strict sanctions on the school for the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal."It's a new Penn State. It's a new Penn State football program."The prospect of replacing Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno alone would have been a tough task.But the sanctions handed down as a result of the scandal have left O'Brien with even more pressing challenges.A four-year bowl ban. Significant scholarship cuts. And an NCAA exception that allows current Nittany Lions to transfer immediately to play for other schools in light of the landmark punishments."We do have some restrictions, but we all know why they're there," O'Brien said. "We're going to make sure we're focused on that in addition to doing the really good job of playing some good, tough football."As of Monday's morning workout, nine players had left since the sanctions were announced July 23. But that count includes Rob Bolden, a backup quarterback who fell out of favor with two coaching staffs and was granted permission to look at other schools before July 23. Star tailback Silas Redd, 1,200-yard rusher, is the biggest loss after he defected to Southern California last week.But O'Brien thinks he's reached some roster stability now that training camp has started.