Bill O’Brien will not coach a meaningful football game for six and a half months. Results on the field will ultimately define his legacy, but in the meantime, O’Brien has the public relations part down perfectly. One night after introducing his coaching staff at halftime of the Men’s Basketball game against Iowa and promising that “Penn State would make people proud next fall,” O’Brien appeared at his first THON.

Speaking minutes before midnight on Friday night, his address was brief but powerful talking about the students being a big reason why he accepted the job. “You are Penn State, we are Penn State.”

From there, O’Brien continued to play to crowd mentioning that Tom Brady told him that Beaver Stadium is the loudest place he ever played a football game when Brady played for Michigan. “We need everyone one of you in that student section for the Ohio [University] game and for every home game after that.”

Before starting a WE ARE… chant and hearing brief serenades of his name from those in attendance at the Bryce Jordan Center, O’Brien concluded by saying that he would like to start a new tradition of purchasing season tickets for the dancer couple who raises the most money.

Whether that is feasible remains a question, but O’Brien has answered the call with every public appearance he has made so far.

Well played, Coach.