“We love ya, and that is why we follow, ’cause we support the lions, and that’s the way we like it.”

Those words will be engrained in the minds of thousands this Friday night at this year’s Football Eve season kickoff event. The chant originated in the world of soccer, and picked up again last summer when the US Women’s Soccer team took a run in the 2011 World Cup. It was brought to Nittanyville (then known as Paternoville) towards the last half of the football season, and now it’s coming to fruition to the rest of the Penn State population.

Secretary/Treasurer of Nittanyville Carolyn Lasky spoke excitedly about the addition. “It’s so special to us because we started the chant here at Gate A. It’s an opportunity for students to feel more connected to the gameday atmosphere,” she said. Public Relations officer Allen Sheffield emphasized that the new chant and the campout itself shows “evidence that #ONETEAM isn’t just a hashtag for twitter, it’s a movement.”

As a long time camper at Gate A, I’ve seen a ton of chants come and go. “We Love Ya” is great for a few reasons. First, it’s easy. Each sentence is quick but memorable, and the repetition lets you learn them quickly. Second, it’s strictly positive. There’s no negativity towards the other team, just straight up support for our Nittany Lions. As Nittanyville President Troy Weller says, “It shows our unity. The lyrics are straight forward and they speak for themselves.”

Finally, there’s the “whoa.” Once the chant is completed, you get to mosh for a bit with whomever you might be around — that’s the best part.

Blue Band Drum Major, Ian Kenney says, “I really like the new tradition. In this time at Penn State, we need things to carry us forward and support the school that we all love so much, and what better way than ‘We Love Ya?'”

In the end, I’m glad to see that Dr. Bundy and Greg Drane will be teaching the Football Eve crowd this chant on Friday. It’s a solid, positive way to get fans fired up at any point throughout the game. I have a feeling it just might take off and be used all over campus for years to come.

Make sure you stop by Nittanyville this week to check out the chant for yourself (click here for a video) – or, if you’d like – see it x107,000 on game day.