| Sean Lee |
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When Dan Connor received the Chuck Bednarik Award last December, he couldn't help but mention Sean Lee as a strong candidate to increase Penn State's current string of Bednarik winners to four in 2008. Playing alongside Connor for the second consecutive year, Lee has combined with him and Paul Posluszny to bring "Linebacker U." back to its rightful place in the national consciousness over the past three seasons. But, if a Nittany Lion is to win the Bednarik Award this year it will have to be someone other than Lee. A probable 2008 All-America candidate, Lee tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a non-contact drill in an April practice. He had surgery later that month and his rehabilitation will take approximately nine months, effectively ending his chances of playing this year. Lee played as a true freshman in 2005 and has a redshirt year available, which he intends to use in 2009, when he again should be a strong candidate for a multitude of academic and athletic honors. A starter in all 26 games the past two seasons, Lee had a tremendous junior season and entered winter conditioning and spring drills as one of the squad's primary leaders. While his role on the field has changed for this season, his importance as a leader, teammate, mentor and friend has not diminished. Thus, he was elected an honorary co-captain by his teammates soon after spring practice ended. For those who know the highly skilled, swift and strong student-athlete, it came as no surprise that less than a month after his surgery he already was ahead of schedule in his rehab. A first-team all-state selection at Upper St. Clair HS, Lee has been a vital component in the success of the Lions' Top 10 defense the past three years, earning first-team All-America honors from Pro Football Weekly in 2007. The vastly talented, instinctive and intelligent young man ranked second in the Big Ten with 138 tackles, trailing only Connor, and giving Penn State just its third pair of century-busting tacklers since tackle records began being kept in 1969. Lee's 138 tackles were No. 5 on the school season list and he recorded double-figures in tackles in 10 of the last 11 games, giving him 12 in his still blossoming career. An intense competitor who loves to hit, Lee is a playermaker who brings tremendous passion and tenacity to every snap. Lee is one of the squad's most personable and service-oriented members, participating in the THON Make-A-Wish program, student-athlete reading program, Habitat for Humanity and the Pennsylvania Special Olympics State Summer Games. A finance major, Lee is a strong student, earning ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District honors last year and Academic All-Big Ten honors twice. When he returns for the 2009 season-opener, Lee will take the field with 239 career stops, needing 17 to crack the school's Top 10, and with a very realistic chance of joining Connor and Posluszny as the top three tacklers in program history. He is one of 11 returning Nittany Lions from western Pennsylvania.
2007 Junior Season
Lee had a tremendous junior season, extending his streak of starts to all 26 games over the past two seasons. Lee ranked second in the Big Ten with 138 tackles, trailing only teammate Dan Connor, and giving Penn State just its third pair of century-busting tacklers since tackle records began being kept in 1969. He was selected a first-team All-American by Pro Football Weekly. A two-time Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Week honoree in 2007, he earned second-team all-conference honors in a league that featured two of the three finalists for the Butkus Award and the winner of the Bednarik Award. Lee's 138 tackles were No. 5 on the school season list and he recorded double-figures in tackles in 10 of the last 11 games. Lee also recorded 10.5 tackles for loss (minus-34), 3.5 sacks, forced three fumbles, recovered three fumbles and grabbed one interception. He also was second on the team with eight pass breakups. He was tied for first in the Big Ten in fumble recoveries and was tied for No. 7 in the conference in forced fumbles. Lee punctuated his marvelous season by earning Valero Alamo Bowl Defensive Player-of-the-Game accolades. He recorded a game-high 14 tackles, tied for the most in Alamo Bowl history, to lead a defensive unit that allowed Texas A&M just three points over the final 49 minutes of the game. He also had a minus-yardage hit and a pass breakup in the 24-17 victory to earn a berth on the ESPN.com All-Bowl team. Lee began the season by being named Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Week after posting a team-high seven stops in the 59-0 win over Florida International. He recorded two tackles for loss to help hold FIU to minus-three yards rushing. He also made one sack, defended a pass and forced a fumble. Lee led the Lions with 12 tackles at Michigan, with one tackle for loss. He recorded a career-high 17 tackles at Illinois, at the time, the most tackles by a Nittany Lion since Paul Posluszny's 22 at Northwestern in 2005. Lee tied for the team lead with 12 stops in the 38-7 win over No. 19 Wisconsin for his fifth consecutive game with at least 10 tackles. Lee made two TFL, including one sack, to receive ABC/Chevrolet Player-of-the-Game honors against the Badgers. He also recovered his first fumble of the season on the first play from scrimmage, returning it five yards, to set up a 12-yard TD drive for a quick lead. He made 13 stops, with a TFL against Ohio State. Lee was named Big Ten Co-Defensive Player-of-the-Week after compiling a game-high 12 tackles in the Senior Day win over Purdue, pushing him past the 100-tackle mark for the season. He forced two fumbles and made one recovery. Lee made the game-changing play by stripping the ball from running back Jaycen Taylor and recovering it inside the Penn State one-yard line with Purdue leading, 10-3, in the first quarter. He made 10 stops in the 31-0 win at Temple, with a fumble recovery in Lion territory and two pass breakups. Lee made 10 tackles at Michigan State, with 1.5 TFL, and a fingertip interception in Penn State territory that set up a touchdown drive. Lee was on the field for 989 plays, second-highest among all defensive players, led by 94 at Indiana and 91 against Ohio State.
2006 Sophomore Season
Starting every game at outside linebacker, Lee was instrumental in helping the Penn State defense rank in the top 15 nationally in rushing (87.5 ypg, seventh), scoring (14.4 ppg, ninth), total defense (284.5 ypg, 15th) and pass efficiency defense (105.9 rating, 14th) and sacks (40, sixth tie). Lee recorded 90 tackles, good for third on the squad, with eight tackles for losses, 5.5 sacks (minus-46), two fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles, one interception and two pass breakups. The signature game of his young career came at Wisconsin, as he delivered a career-high 13 tackles (seven solo), with two sacks (minus-23 yards), recovered two fumbles and forced the first fumble of his career. His first fumble recovery, coming after a Dan Connor sack, gave Penn State the ball on the Wisconsin 14. His second came in the fourth quarter after he sacked John Stocco for a loss of 14 yards, forced the fumble, recovered it and returned it seven yards to the Badgers' 40-yard line. In his first career start, Lee made six stops, with 1.5 tackles for loss in the opener with Akron. At Notre Dame, he made six stops and combined with Tony Davis for the first sack of his career. Lee was impressive at Ohio State, recording a game-high 11 tackles (six solo). He helped hold the Buckeyes' offense to 14 points and a season-low 253 yards. Lee made six hits against Northwestern and made a tremendous catch, getting his toes in on the sideline, for the first interception of his career. He led the Lions with nine tackles and broke up one pass against Michigan. Lee made seven tackles (five solo) and one sack in helping hold Purdue scoreless for the first time since 1996. The Lions held the nation's No. 8 ranked offense to 246 total yards, 202.5 below its average. In the Outback Bowl win over Tennessee, Lee and Connor combined to get the play of the game underway. With the Vols at the Lions' 14 in a 10-10 game early in the fourth quarter, they forced a fumble that teammate Tony Davis scooped up and returned 88 yards for the game-winning score. Lee made six tackles with a sack in the 20-10 win over the No. 17 Vols. Lee was on the field for 823 snaps, led by 84 against Illinois. He was selected Academic All-Big Ten.
2005 Freshman Season
The coaching staff couldn't keep the talented Lee off the field, as he made his collegiate debut against Ohio State in the prime time thriller in Beaver Stadium. He made a tackle in the huge 17-10 win over the Buckeyes and played in the final seven games, recording 11 tackles. He made a season-high five stops against Florida State in a strong performance in the FedEx Orange Bowl. Lee earned the most extensive playing time (49 snaps) of his rookie season after Paul Posluszny left the game with a knee injury. His efforts helped the Nittany Lions hold Florida State to 12 first downs, 26 rushing yards and three-of-17 third-down conversions. He also made four tackles at Illinois. He was on the field for 163 plays over the last seven games. Lee earned Dean's List recognition during the fall semester.
High School
Lee's career likely earned him legendary status among the long line of outstanding players who have played for Coach Jim Render at Upper St. Clair HS. A first-team Associated Press Class AAAA all-state selection, Lee was the 2005 Pittsburgh Post-Gazette High School Male Athlete-of-the-Year and was honored at the prestigious Dapper Dan Dinner in 2006. He also was named to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Terrific 25 and played in the 2005 Big 33 Classic against Ohio. USC combined to go 31-4 during his three years as a starter, including 11-1 as a senior. He ran for 1,240 yards and 21 touchdowns on 187 carries for a superlative 6.6 average and posted 95 tackles and four interceptions at safety during his senior season. He made 23 tackles and returned a punt 75 yards for a touchdown in a Western Pennsylvania district AAAA semifinal game against Pittsburgh Central Catholic. The outstanding athlete also excelled on the basketball floor, leading the Panthers to a 75-12 record in three seasons as a starter. During his senior season, he averaged 21.2 ppg, 9.1 rpg and 3.2 assists per game to lead USC to the Western Pennsylvania district AAAA title. Lee is one of a select few athletes in the past 25 years to be selected to the Post-Gazette Fabulous 22 football team and the Fabulous Five basketball team. An outstanding student, Lee graduated from Upper St. Clair with a 3.70 grade-point average.
Personal
Full name is Sean Patrick Lee. He has an older brother, Conor, who is a place-kicker for the University of Pittsburgh. Lee is a finance major and owned a 3.29 grade-point average through the spring semester. Born July 22, 1986.
