Mike Hull typfies Penn State and its linebacker tradition

There is something attractive about a college football team that is referred to as "Linebacker U." Just ask Mike Hull, who went to Penn State because of its reputation for preparing linebackers for the NFL and stayed for the same reason after the NCAA imposed sanctions against the university.

The 6-foot, 228-pound Hull, a redshirt sophomore, is considered the next star in the pipeline where he receives a share of playing time behind three starters - Michael Mauti, Gerald Hodges, and Glenn Carson - who probably will be taking the field on Sundays very soon.

But it almost didn't work out that way. Like many of his teammates, Hull pondered whether to leave Penn State in July after the sanctions were announced. He gave serious thought to transferring to Pittsburgh, which is about a half hour from his home in Canonsburg, Pa. But after two weeks of deliberations, he decided to stay.

"Ultimately the decision was made because I love Penn State," Hull said earlier this week. "I love going to school here. I love my teammates. So that was basically the deciding factor. And it was definitely one of the toughest decisions I had to make."

Hull went back to the reason he became a Nittany Lion in the first place.

"I'd always dreamed of playing at Penn State just because of the linebacker tradition and the football tradition in general," he said. "Yeah, it definitely swayed my decision to stay just because of seeing our guys in the National Football League that played linebacker here, and it's just a great place to play linebacker."

Nittany Lions linebackers currently on NFL rosters include Dan Connor and Sean Lee of Dallas, Paul Posluszny of Jacksonville, NaVorro Bowman of San Francisco, Josh Hull of St. Louis, and Tim Shaw of Tennessee. Nate Stupar is on Oakland's practice squad.

Although he doesn't start, Hull has contributed to the Lions as a backup linebacker at more than one spot and as a hybrid linebacker/safety in passing situations. He is second on the team with three sacks. He has accounted for the team's only 2012 touchdown scored by the defense, a 74-yard fumble return against Navy.

He also has been a mainstay on special teams, playing on all four punt and kickoff return and coverage units. His blocked punt on Saturday against Ohio State resulted in the Lions' first touchdown of the game.

"You want guys that are fast and active and athletic, and linebackers typically carry the load on special teams," linebackers coach Ron Vanderlinden said. "Mike has been great. Mike has played a lot of football for us, made a lot of huge plays as a linebacker. But he also is a tremendous special-teams player."

Hull also has had an opportunity to learn this year from two of the Big Ten's best linebackers in Mauti and Hodges, both seniors. They have taught him by example and by telling him to examine an opponent to the smallest detail.

"Mostly it's advice on mental stuff and also in the film room," Hull said. "It's just giving little things they see on the field, such as what a lineman will do or what a quarterback might do. It's been great learning from those guys because they're all great football players, and they've been successful."

Hull's punt block fired up his teammates and the capacity crowd at Beaver Stadium last week, but the Nittany Lions couldn't close the deal and lost to the Buckeyes. As the Lions prepare for their next game, Saturday at Purdue, Hull said the team's attention is on eliminating costly mistakes.

"This week we're emphasizing no missed assignments and also playing intense," he said. "Going from 107,000 fans to however many fans they have at Purdue, we have to bring the intensity and create it for ourselves."

And maybe Hull will come up with another big play?

"I'm not really sure how it's going to present itself," he said. "But every time I'm out there, I want to do what I can to help the team, whether it's getting a big interception or forcing a fumble or blocking another punt."