Penn State Football: Bill O'Brien and Coaching Caravan Reaching out to Fans

Bill O'Brien knows he was not the most popular choice to lead Penn State's football program, but he is on a bus tour to try and win over as many fans and alumni as possible. So far, it is O'Brien that has come away gaining a better feel for the fans and Penn State community.

"There have been so many things that have impressed me in the first four months, and this has to be right near the top," O'Brien said to GoPSUSports.com after a stop in Richmond, Virginia. The Richmond alumni event was the fifth stop on the 18-stop Penn State Caravan, which is headlined by appearances by the new football coach.

Coaches from other sports programs sponsored at Penn State, such as men's and women's basketball, field hockey, soccer and more will also make appearances to speak, mix and mingle with registered alumni in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Washington D.C., New York, Ohio and parts of New England.

After making some speeches about their vision for their individual programs and the entire university, O'Brien and other coaches take part in a question and answer open forum with the fans and alums gathered at each stop. The first question posed to O'Brien on the tour's first stop in Philadelphia on Monday asked for a prediction on how many games Penn State will win.

O'Brien quickly realized that winning football games is certainly important for a fanbase that would like to one day watch the Nittany Lions compete on a national championship level more often. However, O'Brien has remained focused on continuing with the "success with honor" mantra instituted by his predecessor, Joe Paterno.

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I have a lot of respect for what Joe Paterno meant to this program, O'Brien said on Monday in a brief media session prior to his appearance at a luncheon. Nobody will be able to replace Joe Paterno, and we will continue with the ground work he laid in the classroom.

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O'Brien's dedication to some of the traditions at Penn State, such as the uniforms and maintaining a strong academic presence with his players, is winning fans over left and right. Since taking over the job in January, O'Brien has said and done just about all of the right things he could, and the caravan is just helping to build a relationship with his new fans and supporters.

"This has been a fantastic trip. It's proven to me why I took the job," O'Brien said.

Quotes provided by Penn State Athletics, unless noted otherwise.

Kevin McGuire is the host of the No 2-Minute Warning podcast, managing editor of Nittany Lions Den and a member of the Football Writers Association of America and National Football Foundation. Follow him on Twitter, like him on Facebook and add him to your Google+ circle.