How about most underrated defensive player ever at PSU?
- Thread starter grinagrin
- Start date
HUH? Millen was a great great player at PSU, darn near unblockable a few years. Matt and Joe may have had a battle over a conditioning test (which he passed the next day), but to say he was OK or less at PSU is a joke. Actually may have been the heart and soul of the team. You do know he was a healthy inactive for his last Superbowl don't you?
I always liked what Mo Daniels brought to the table. He had some injuries but was always solid.
Mike Hull
In 2015:
"I've been doing this for 20 years. I've coached in a lot of different leagues, even the NFL. The guy is playing at a really, really high level week in and week out," coach James Franklin said Saturday night. "He makes plays from sideline to sideline in the run game and in the pass game. You guys have heard me say this before, but I have a man crush on that guy. I love him. He's a big-time football player."
This Spring:
For us, the standard we talk about is Mike Hull. Mike Hull brought an unbelievable standard that he set for the defense and that he set for that room. Jason talks about it all the time, ‘Mike Hull, Mike Hull, Mike Hull.’ It is kind of what I was just talking about.
In 2015:
"I've been doing this for 20 years. I've coached in a lot of different leagues, even the NFL. The guy is playing at a really, really high level week in and week out," coach James Franklin said Saturday night. "He makes plays from sideline to sideline in the run game and in the pass game. You guys have heard me say this before, but I have a man crush on that guy. I love him. He's a big-time football player."
This Spring:
For us, the standard we talk about is Mike Hull. Mike Hull brought an unbelievable standard that he set for the defense and that he set for that room. Jason talks about it all the time, ‘Mike Hull, Mike Hull, Mike Hull.’ It is kind of what I was just talking about.
No ship Sherlock! He was a defensive tackle and made the transition to an all pro linebacker. I have never heard of that before.
well you weren't paying attention then. Lance Mehl moved from DL to all Pro LBer. Carlton Bailey (UNC) was a HS DL and played DL for UNC until NY Giants made him an all pro LBer. At least MM (as was Bruce Clark) were LBers when they first played at PSU. Both moved to DL out of need for PSU. To call MM underrated at PSU is just wrong.
John Ebersole. Went on to play many years with the Jets. Was overshadowed my Jack Ham, Mike Reid, Steve Smear and Denny Onkotz.
Did you read my post? When the hell would
I ever or did I ever call Millen underrated. I said the position change was remarkable in the second paragraph. In the first paragraph I said we should probably look at someone who was ok in college and became an all pro in the NFL should be someone to consider.
Someone said Kim herring would be an example. I think he was an all american though. I really liked him when he was here.
Here's what u said Someone who was ok or less.....and then Matt Mullen comes up!! And that's my huh??? And the snarky comment... couldn't run for Paterno?? Huh? Again. He passed the test the next day!! The original premise was under rated defensive players Matt Millen name shouldn't have come up
Now!!!! One player that still shocks me.( completely different topic) is Matt millen how he moved positions. His joke with the paterno voice "millen" is that" coach if I have to run a half mile, then they are going to score a td every time". Paterno was furious as all the players laughed!
Which position move? LBer to DT ? 3 tech to 5? Or back to LBer as a pro?
You know Larence Taylor moved from DL to LBer and as I pointed out at least several others did as well. So what's the big deal?
Now Pete Kugler going from starting OL to starting DT in the middle of the season was a position move
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Steve Sefter, Walker Lee Ashley, Shinto Prater. There are many.
Great pick sluggo, I grew up two blocks from Randy and played with his younger brother Steve in high school. Randy was a QB and LB in high school and played tight end at Penn State his first couple of years. Ended up an All-American nose guard.
Funny, Boyd is always the first name that comes to mind when I think of most overrated at Penn State.
I think D’Onofrio is often overlooked. I loved his play.
A star quarterback and defensive back in high school football and a standout on the basketball court as well in Salamanca, New York, Crist received an athletic scholarship to Penn State University. Believing himself to be capable of playing quarterback at a high level, he insisted on playing that position if he were to play football, but Penn State coach Joe Paterno insisted he play defensive back. Rebuffing Paterno's request, Crist instead used his scholarship to play college basketball, where he played four years for the Nittany Lions. Crist's reputation as a defensive back was nevertheless still high enough even after not playing college football that the Giants signed him as an undrafted free agent upon graduating in 1972. This time, he agreed to play defensive back, where he spent all seven years of his professional career, never playing quarterback again.[
Brown played defense as a junior, running back his senior year.
I think that he was under rated because he was not a great player. He felt like the weak link on some of those pretty good PSU teams.
On the 86 team defense I would list Don Graham as severely under rated.
Later years. Zemaitis was under rated, Mike Hull, Austin Johnson and Adrian Amos were also under rated players.
Later years. Zemaitis was under rated, Mike Hull, Austin Johnson and Adrian Amos were also under rated players.
Gino Capone. He took a lot of crap but he was good enough to make the Butkus watch list, lead the team in tackles, and to get a deal from the Minnesota Vikings.
Ollie Ogbu not sure if I spelled that right but I recall him being undersized but a solid run stuffer
Easy Pick for me.
Bochna was an anomaly. Especially coming from the mighty Class A Tri-County South conference. At the time, was the WPIAL career rushing leader against completely inferior Class A competition. The knock was a small school- ( I think only Turkeyfoot is smaller in the entire state?). Could even compete at the top D1 level. Boy were they wrong. Day one playing time as a true freshman, soon to be starter. I picked my high school number after his #10.
*Bochna’s high school coach George Messich was a backup lineman on Pitt’s 1976 National Championship team. A good man, and I believe still coaching at Mapletown.
** Bochna’s dad worked in the coal mine with my dad for many many years. My dad would take the old “Football Letter” to give to Mr. Bochna (I used to saved everyone of them). I thought it was really cool he was giving them to a player’s dad.
RE: Mike Hartenstein
In his time at PSU, he was the man/dominant, but I agree somehow doesn’t get the recognition deserved when many of the great PSU players are mentioned.
Mike went on and had a very good NFL career for Da’ Bears…..fun to watch!
I agree with many of the posts and will add Brian Gelheiser. Really solid LB at PSU on some really good teams where many D players seem almost forgotten
All great choices. I’ll go with a good buddy of mine from FCHS in Pittsburgh and former WPAL Heavyweight wrestling champ: Leo Wisniewski.
I think he’s sometimes forgotten/underrated because he came up with Clark/Millen his first few years then played on the 1980 team that beat USC and Marcus Allen in the Fiesta Bowl (Leo dominated), but didn’t play on the first national championship Team the next year. His brother Steve was a stud OLineman later on and in the pros, and his son Stefan was amazing as an OLineman not all that long ago, so Leo sometimes is overshadowed by his own brother/son.
In any case Leo was dominant his senior year and was the last pick in the 1st round by the Baltimore Colts and was one of the strongest DT’s in the NFL before blowing out his knee a few years later, which ended his NFL career after only 3 seasons.
I think he’s sometimes forgotten/underrated because he came up with Clark/Millen his first few years then played on the 1980 team that beat USC and Marcus Allen in the Fiesta Bowl (Leo dominated), but didn’t play on the first national championship Team the next year. His brother Steve was a stud OLineman later on and in the pros, and his son Stefan was amazing as an OLineman not all that long ago, so Leo sometimes is overshadowed by his own brother/son.
In any case Leo was dominant his senior year and was the last pick in the 1st round by the Baltimore Colts and was one of the strongest DT’s in the NFL before blowing out his knee a few years later, which ended his NFL career after only 3 seasons.
Agree with many, including Boyd and Gelzheiser...
Would also add Bhawoh Jue...great at PSU and had a significant NFL career (so doesn't qualify as underrated in that respect) but he is rarely listed as a PSU "all-time" great player (not counting an "all-name" team), so he is underrated in that respect.
Would also add Bhawoh Jue...great at PSU and had a significant NFL career (so doesn't qualify as underrated in that respect) but he is rarely listed as a PSU "all-time" great player (not counting an "all-name" team), so he is underrated in that respect.
