Dec. 11, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 11, 2014 - Penn State senior Mike Hull (Canonsburg) has earned his first All-America selection, today being named a USA Today second-team All-American.
The Big Ten Butkus-Fitzgerald Linebacker of the Year, Hull led the conference with 134 tackles. He was named first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. Hull joins All-American Michael Mauti as recipients of the Big Ten Linebacker of the Year Award, giving LinebackerU two of the award's initial four recipients. Hull also was named to the BTN.com All-Big Ten first-team.
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 a total of 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).
Hull has been instrumental in helping Penn State rank in the FBS Top 10 in all of the primary statistical categories: rushing defense (1st, 84.8 ypg), total defense (2nd, 269.8 ypg), scoring defense (8th, 17.7 ppg), pass efficiency defense (2nd, 99.71) and third down conversion pct. defense (6th, .301). The Nittany Lions are No. 1 in the Big Ten in rushing, total, scoring and pass efficiency defense.
A senior co-captain, Hull leads the Big Ten in tackles with 134 total tackles (11.2 tpg), averaging at least 1.9 tpg more than every other conference player. He ranks seventh nationally in stops and also leads the Big Ten in tackles in conference games only (96, 12.0 tpg). Hull has recorded 10.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one interception, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and three pass break-ups. Hull has led Penn State in tackles in 11 of 12 games this season, with eight double figure games and three games with nine stops. He ranks No. 6 on Penn State's career tackles list with 288 and also is No. 6 on the Penn State season tackles list with 134.
The former Canon-McMillan High School All-American made a career-high 19 tackles vs. Ohio State, had 16 stops vs. Northwestern and 13 vs. Michigan State. Hull is on pace to become just the fifth Penn State player since 1975 to average at least 11.0 tackles per game, joining Greg Buttle (1974, '75), Andre Collins (1989), Shawn Mayer (2002) and Dan Connor (2007).
Coach James Franklin's Nittany Lions and Boston College will clash in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl on Dec. 27 in their 24th all-time meeting and Penn State's 45th bowl appearance. The teams last met in 2004. The New Era Pinstripe Bowl will kick at 4:30 p.m. ET in Yankee Stadium (49,542) and air on ESPN, the Penn State Sports Network and GoPSUsports.com.
Nittany Lion Club and Penn State Alumni Association members have requested more than 11,000 tickets for the Pinstripe Bowl. Pinstripe Bowl tickets are available via the travel packages for the Official Penn State Bowl Tour, which can be purchased at www.pinstripebowl.com.
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