Penn State Football: Top 10 Players of the 2000's

#3 Paul Posluszny (Linebacker, 2003-2006): When you think of Penn State football you think of defense and you think of "Linebacker U". There have been plenty of linebackers to come through Happy Valley and make their mark. In 2003, a freshman from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania arrived in State College and would go on to become not only one of the best linebackers in school history, but one of the best defensive players to wear the blue and white. Paul Posluszny epitomized everything Penn State stood for during his career, not only on the field but off. On the field he let his play speak for itself and it didn't go unnoticed. The Western Pennsylvania native made his debut for the Nittany Lions five games into his freshman year and in the final game of the regular season against Michigan State he got his first start. His first two seasons were tough record wise as the team would go 3-9 and 4-7 in 2003-2004 respectively. Before the start of the 2004 season he would change his number from 39 to 31 to honor former Nittany Lion great and All-American Shane Conlin. 

The 2005 season is when people across the country really started to take notice not just of Posluszny but the entire Penn State team. It was the arguably the most important season in program history as the team would rally around coach Joe Paterno and post a 12-1 record and an Orange Bowl victory over Florida State. Posluszny was the heart and soul of a defense that was full of All-American's and All-Big Ten players. The biggest game of the season came when Ohio State came into Happy Valley for a primetime game with the Nittany Lions in what some would say is the greatest game in the Beaver Stadium history. The junior captain would record 14 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and a sack in the 17-10 victory over the Buckeyes. He would go on to post his second of three 100 tackle seasons. He is the only Nittany Lion to lead the team in tackles three straight seasons and post three straight 100 tackle seasons. 

Posluszny was also an All-American in the classroom; a two-time first-team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American. He was also selected the 2006 Academic All-American-of-the-Year among Division I football players. He would join former Nittany Lion Jeff Hartings as the only players to be voted All-Amercan and Academic All-American twice. He would finish his career with 372 tackles (a number broken by teammate Dan Connor). 

There are certain names that are synonymous with Penn State football and Paul Posluszny will always be one of those names. 
Career Achievements:
-Big Ten All-Freshman (2003)
-Second Team All-Big Ten (2004)
-First Team All-Big Ten (2005, 2006)
-Consensus All-American (2005, 2006)
-First Team Academic All-American (2005, 2006)
-Dick Butkus Award (2005)
-Chuck Bednarik Award (2005, 2006)