Penn State football players competiting in the annual Lift for Life said they still admire Paterno and the Freeh Report won't be a distraction.

Senior quarterback Matt McGloin and senior defensive lineman Jordan Hill both admit their feelings toward their former head coach haven't changed. "I still support Coach Paterno," said Hill. "He's the reason I came to Penn State."

The majority of other Nittany Lions did not talk about Thursday's release of the Freeh Report, either out of self-constraint or after admitting they stayed away from the press coverage the last couple weeks. Instead, the focus for the Penn State football team on Friday was on the upcoming season, and the annual fundraiser they were hosting which benefited the Kidney Cancer Association.

This was the 10th year of the Lift For Life event, which involved football players taking part in endurance and weightlifting events to raise money for kidney cancer research. There was also a sports memorabilia auction. In the previous nine years, Lift For Life raised over $600,000 for the Kidney Cancer Association. According to Penn State's sports information director Jeff Nelson, this year's event was expected to surpass $100,000 raised.

Penn State's season will open Saturday, September 1 against Ohio at Beaver Stadium.