Penn State linebacker Mike Hull has been overlooked and underrated by many this season but he’s getting the recognition at the season’s end.
USA Today has named Hull a second team All-American on Thursday validating a season of dominating play at the linebacker position.
The Big Ten had 11 players named to one of the two All-American teams. Michigan State safety Kurtis Drummond is the only other second team defender from the conference alongside Hull.
Named the Butkus-Fitzgerald award winner earlier this month, an award given to the best linebacker in the Big Ten, Hull was also named to the conference’s first-team defense along with fellow Nittany Lion Anthony Zettel by both the media and league coaches.
Hull led Penn State in tackles this season with 130, that figure also leads the conference ahead of Michigan’s Jake Ryan and his 112 tackles. Nyeem Wartmen was the next closest Nittany Lion in tackles but his 64 stops were dwarfed by Hull’s total.
Sixteen Nittany Lions have earned a total of 19 first or second-team All-America honors since 2005. With Hull’s USA Today selection, five Penn State linebackers have earned seven first or second-team All-America accolades since 2005: Paul Posluszny (2005-06), Dan Connor (2006-07), Navorro Bowman(2009), Michael Mauti (2012) and Hull (2014).
“Mike Hull is as good as I’ve ever been around,” Penn State James Franklin said. “I typically meet with our freshmen once a week, and they’re probably sick of hearing me talk about Mike Hull because it’s not just his physical traits, it’s everything (he is able to do).
“I don’t know if I could find something that I would say in terms of his preparation and his demeanor that I would want more from. It’s how he is in meetings or how he is out at practice; his focus, his attention to detail, his work ethic, how coachable he is.”
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