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| Here are some of the top linebackers in the Joe Paterno era at Penn State. Listed in reverse chronological order: Click name for photo. |
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| CONNOR Dan 2004-07. 2007 AP First team All-America. 2006 TSN First team All-America. 2007 Bednarik Award winner. All-Time tackle leader with 419. Teamed with Poz to form a duo on par with Onkotz and Ham. Holds all-time record for tackles as a freshman (85). Arguably ranks with Onkotz at the top of the "Most Versatile LB". POSLUSZNY Paul 2003-06. AP Two-time First-team All-America. 2005 Butkus Award Award winner. 2005 & 2006 Bednarik Award winner. Stellar at both ILB and OLB. Only Lion to record one hundred plus tackles three years in a row. Second in career tackles (372) Two-time First team Academic All-American. Named Hall of Fame Scholar-Athlete. ARRINGTON LaVar 1997-99. Two-time First team All-America. SHORT Brandon 1996-99. First-team All-America. Four year starter, freshman year at DE. GELZHEISER Brian 1991-94. Four-year letterman. Topped 100 tackles in back-to-back years. Second in all-time tackles. D'ONOFRIO Mark 1988-91. Three-year starter. Led Lions in tackling his junior year and was leading as a senior before a season ending injury. COLLINS Andre 1986-89. First team All-America. Over 100 tackles in back-to-back years. Four-year letterman. BAUER Trey 1984-87. Third team All-America. Three-year starter. Part of the LB corps with Conlan, Giftopoulos and Graham on 1986 National Champions. CONLAN Shane 1983-86. Two-time first team All-America. Perhaps the standard for OLB. Became part-time starter as a freshman. Fifth all-time in tackles. RADECIC Scott 1980-83. Second team All-America. Two-year starter. PARLAVECCHIO Chet 1978-81. Second team All-America. Led team in tackles 1980-81. MEHL Lance 1977-79. Second team All-America. Led team in tackles 1978-79. ALLERMAN Kurt 1974-76. First team All-America. Three-year letterman. BUTTLE Greg 1973-75. First team All-America. Second All-time career tackles leader with 343, including the single season Lion record of 165 in 1974. ROSECRANS Jim 1973-75. Two-year starter, three year letterman. 108 tackles in 1974. DEVLIN Chris 1972-74. Two-year starter, three-year letterman. Played DE as a soph. O'NEIL Ed 1971-73. First team All-America. Led with 126 tackles in 1972. LASLAVIC Jim 1970-72. Two-year starter, three-year letterman. Also played DE. SKORUPAN John 1970-72. First team All-America. Three-year starter. HAM Jack 1968-70. College Football Hall of Fame. First team All-America. Three-year starter. 186 tackles his last two years. ZAPIEC Charlie 1968-69, 71. First team All-America. Three-year starter, first two at guard. KATES Jim 1967-69. Three-year starter. Teamed with Hall-of-Famers: Dennis Onkotz, Jack Ham and Mike Smith to comprise JoePa's first great LB unit. ONKOTZ Dennis 1967-69. College Football Hall of Fame. Two-time First team All-America and was Second-team the other year. Career leader at LB with 11 interceptions, returning three for TD's. Third in all-time tackles - back when you could only play varsity for three years. Outstanding punt returner. |
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