Something happened early in the second half at Saturday’s Blue-White Game that will not be seen during a football game in the fall or any other time.

Penn State coach Bill O’Brien used an open microphone to call plays, instruct his players, lead cheers and talk to the 28,000 fans at Beaver Stadium.

“Thank you so much for your support,” O’Brien said when his microphone was opened. “We’re going to need you in the fall.”

Moments later, he began a cheer familiar to Penn State fans.

“We are…” O’Brien yelled.

When he didn’t receive the response he wanted, he said, “You’re not loud enough. You gotta wake up out there. Let’s go.”

Later he said, “We gotta get the wave going.” And the fans obliged.

After calling a pass play, he addressed remarks to defensive end Brad Bars, who had two sacks.

“You didn’t hear that, Bars,” “O’Brien said. “Play the run, Bars.”

According to a Penn State spokesman, the open microphone was O’Brien’s idea.

“It was fun,” he said after the game. “They miked me up. That was interesting. I think it was pretty clean and that’s good.”