Jordan Hill: Part 3, The Finale

          You don't have to go undefeated, have a Heisman Trophy winner, or win a National Championship for your team to be remembered. You just have to stick together, and that's exactly what the 2012 Penn State football team did. Which is why they will go down as one of the best, if not the best, Penn State teams ever. They had the leaders that other teams wish the had, leaders such as; Michael Mauti, Jordan Hill, Gerald Hodges, Michael Zordich and Stephon Morris just to name a few. They had a whole community behind them when no one else was. They had 100,000 strong cheering when they ran onto the field at Beaver Stadium. They never listened to the media, who said they would win a maximum of 3-4 games. They had 8. They blocked out the negativity surrounding their situation. They went out every Saturday and gave 100% every snap. They went out every Saturday and did whatever they could to put on a show for the fans. I can't remember coming into a season anticipating that first kick off, the energy was felt on every snap. For 60 minutes on fall Saturday's, you could escape what was happening outside, come into Beaver Stadium and watch those who stayed give everything they could to show why we are still Penn State. This team was lead by a group of seniors who had a choice, either let the obstacles put in front of them keep them down or rise up and show those who doubted them what Penn State was really about. I had the opportunity to get to know one of those senior leaders, Jordan Hill. I not only got to know him and the person he was, but in the process got a learning experience on how to overcome anything. 
          A native of Steelton, Pennsylvania, Hill is a very humble individual which stems from the way he was raised. You won't see him asking for the spotlight, but what will you see is an individual who is quiet, humble, and just loves to play football. You'll also see someone who gives 100% on every snap, and has a non stop motor, which because of that and his play this season he earned All Big Ten and All American honors. He also accepted an invitation to play in the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama this coming January. Off the field he is like any other college student, he hangs with friends, he plays video games, watches TV, and just has a good time. He has a great group of people surrounding him who will no doubt support him through everything he does. 
          On the field he was a terror to opposing offensive lines, quarterbacks, and running backs. Just ask Wisconsin. On senior day, Hill saved his best for last and had the game of his life. ESPN announcers who called the game said they had never seen a defensive lineman dominate a game the way Hill did. In that game he ended with a career high 12 tackles (8 solo), 2 sacks, and 3.5 tackles for loss. It seemed that #47 was in the backfield on every play. On the season the All American accumulated 64 tackles, 4.5 sacks, 8.5 tackles for loss, 1 interception, 1 forced fumble, and fumble recovery. I sat down with him and asked him some questions about the season, his future, and Penn State:

Looking back on the season, how did you do compared to how you wanted to do?
"I compared pretty good to the numbers I wanted. Missed the sacks by 1 and tackles for loss by 1 but overall I was happy."
What was the hardest part of the past year?
"Those first two loses, didn't want to come out like that." 
What are you most looking forward to in the next few months leading up to the NFL Draft?
"The draft workouts and meeting all the people."
What was the best part or your favorite part of the season?
"The best part was the Wisconsin game because of how we went out. My favorite part was the locker room after Northwestern, that was crazy."
If you were a coach out recruiting, how would you sell Penn State?
"You're getting a great coach, a great education, a great place to play football, and a chance to go to the NFL. Easy as that." 

I speak for all Penn Staters when I say this Jordan, thank you.