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It's been nearly 10 months since Penn State kicked off its renovation of Beaver Stadium -- one of the most iconic venues in any sport -- shortly after the Nittany Lions defeated SMU in a College Football Playoff game.
On Jan. 4 - a chilly Saturday morning - the stadium's press box on the west side was demolished, and the heavy lifting began. Here we are, a little less than 10 months later, and the temporary seats are in place on the west side.
Kraft, speaking of the process to get to this point, said: "You can see it on paper when you design, you can do all those things, (but) until you walk it, you don't get an appreciation for what the construction crew did in a very, very quick time.
"It is going to be awesome when it's done," Kraft added.
Here are a few other important takeaways from Kraft's news conference:
New seating
capacity
Beaver Stadium was listed at 106,572 seating capacity before the construction began, and the record crowd is 111,030 -- a mark set in Penn State's loss to Ohio State last season.
"What's capacity?" Kraft said. "Our official capacity this season is going to be 106,304. We're a little below our normal numbers, but we are ready to go."
Renovation on schedule
"I think we're in the second quarter (of the renovation)," Kraft said, noting construction will continue through the year, stopping Thursday night to get ready for a Beaver Stadium game day.
"We're really in a good spot. We're moving, we're on time," Kraft added.
Seating checked, double-checked for stability
Kraft said Penn State brought in an independent third party to put the stadium through a rigorous safety inspection. "The structure is safe. It is safe, it's been looked at, it's been inspected," he said. "We've got the keys to the castle, we are in that building, we are off and running."
Kraft added that Penn State will continue to inspect the stadium before and after every game.
Legendary field gets new name
The Nittany Lions will be playing on West Shore Home Field at Beaver Stadium, thanks to a $50 million donation by B.J. Werzyn, owner of West Shore Home, a home improvement company based in Mechanicsburg.
Werzyn had to tread respectfully with one of the nation's most recognizable largest stadiums, a venue that had the name Beaver -- in honor of former Pennsylvania Gov. James A. Beaver ― associated with it since 1893.
"It was important for them to keep the Beaver Stadium name," he said in a release. "When there was a chance to partner with the school again, to be a part of that iconic venue, it was a real no-brainer for me."
Penn State announced the naming rights deal in March, saying Werzyn's gift would "ensure a future foundation for Penn State football and for all of Penn State's 31 athletics programs."
"As an alumnus of our great University and a business owner in central Pennsylvania, B.J. understands the critical role that Beaver Stadium plays in our community," Kraft said at the time.
Fans react after the opener:
"They have completely put in new seats on the west side temporarily. And then they built a new soccer turf field that took away a lot of the parking between Jeffrey Field and the BJC (Bryce Jordan Center)." - Ray Hoppel, of Lewistown
"It was a lot easier to walk around on the west side, but I missed the restrooms. There were a lot of porta potties set up. Despite the construction, I still think it will be a good atmosphere this year. We Are!!!"
- Terra Noerr, of Lewistown
"We went, we didn't have any issues. They're working on the opposite side of the stadium from where our seats are. I've seen some pics of the artist's rendering of what it'll look like when it is finished ... it'll be a beautiful stadium." - Brian Rothrock, of Lewistown
"They took out the ramp we used to go up to our seats. We are in (section) WF and behind our section is where the construction started, and there are no bathrooms other than the job Johnnies. And very limited food and beverage items."
- Ed Stewart, of Lewistown
"I was there for our tailgate but watched the first quarter in the parking lot. The entire west side of the stadium allowed no entry or exit, so it all had to get funneled into the north end. It seemed like a bit of a cluster but all in all, it seemed like it flowed relatively well considering."
- Jason Ufema of Lewistown