By Kelsey Detweiler, GoPSUsports.com Student Staff Writer
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Tears fell, horns honked and prayers were spoken as several community members, students and onlookers gathered around the Joe Paterno statue outside of Beaver Stadium during the early hours of Monday evening.

As local and national news trucks and their individual tents line the side of Porter Road that looks across at the second-largest stadium in the nation, the scene just past Gate A remains constant.

Groups of all ages and sizes have been congregating around the iconic sculpture since late Sunday morning, when the passing of the 85-year-old man, who has been called a "legend" among college football coaches, was announced.

And in the past 48 hours, the statue's original look has been altered quite a bit.

The Paterno figurine has been adorned with a blue and white knit scarf, a white Paternoville sweatshirt and a Bear Bryant style hat too. Below the feet of the statue, a pool of candles, flowers, hats, pom-poms, shirts, notes, posters and other memorabilia continues to grow.

A California license plate that reads 'Joe Pa' sits directly under the coach's statue among Rose Bowl hats, picture frames and t-shirts that have been signed by former football players. There seems to be just about one of everything that has been given in memory of Coach Paterno.

Penn State junior Dan Jenkins was observing the scene and paying his respects and said the he was really surprised when he saw a few items from some familiar Penn State football rivals.

"I saw a Michigan hat and I saw a WVU sign," said Jenkins. "Seeing all of that and the Bear Bryant hat, it just shows the impact he really had across not only Penn State but across the country and it's really something special to see."

Jenkins had not seen the mementos and posters laid around the statue before Monday evening, but he said that he had seen pictures of the scene in images on social media sites earlier in the day.

"This is the first time I've been up here," said Jenkins. "Just seeing it actually in person, just seeing the notes from all the students and all of the alumni and people that liked him - just seeing the personal notes that people wrote to him and all of the personal things, it touched you a bit."

Jenkins' roommate, junior Kevin Byrne, was as equally impressed with the attention the statue was getting as he was with the bright lights that have been shining out of Beaver Stadium the past two evenings. After Coach Paterno passed, the university decided to keep all of the lights in the stadium lit and a picture of the man himself on each jumbotron screen until "A Memorial for Joe" commences on Thursday afternoon.

"We live on East Beaver Avenue so we can see it from our apartment right outside our window - it was just like this glow," said Byrne. "I like it; I think it's kind of a good tribute to [Paterno]."

The growing circle of objects surrounding the statue composed familiarity with a sense of a unique quality. Gameday pom-poms upon shakers encircled recognizable white out shirts from years past, blue and white hats that are commonly worn on the heads of grandfathers, fathers and sons alike and even a colorful pile of football tickets from previous seasons.

As a fan-base, a community and a university, it looks as though many people plan to continue paying their respects to Coach Paterno - and for good reason.

"I know he had an impact just on me personally," said Jenkins. "I've never met him but you feel like he's part of your family - you feel like you've known him just because he is Penn State."