Michael Mauti Class: Graduate Student Hometown: Mandeville, La. High School: Mandeville Height / Weight: 6-2 / 239 Position: LB Experience: SR H.S. Coach: Guy LeCompte

Michael Mauti enters the 2011 season eager to leave behind a couple of injuries that have prevented him from fully capitalizing on his immense talent and instincts. Atop the depth chart at middle linebacker following spring practice, Mauti could be poised to take his place among the pantheon of "Linebacker U." greats during his junior season. A potential All-America candidate, Sporting News and Phil Steele's College Football Preview selected Mauti preseason first-team All-Big Ten. A fierce competitor and one of the team's hardest workers, he possesses tremendous linebacking acumen and the athleticism and speed to chase down a ball-carrier or blanket a running back or tight end in pass coverage. Last year, Mauti returned to the field after a serious knee injury sidelined him in 2009. He made 67 tackles and recorded 5.5 tackles for loss (minus-18), with two sacks, despite missing time due to injuries. Hard-hitting and tenacious, Mauti is a gifted and highly-productive tackler in the same vein as recent Penn State "Linebacker U." standouts and current NFL players Paul Posluszny, Dan Connor, Navorro Bowman and Sean Lee. A U.S. Army All-American at Mandeville HS, Michael and his older brother, Patrick (2005-09), are part of the long line of father-son tandems to play for Joe Paterno, who also coached their dad, Rich, in the mid-1970s.

2010 Junior Season
Returning from a serious knee injury, Mauti was highly-productive while battling through a couple of nagging injuries. He finished fifth on the team with 67 tackles. Playing in 11 games, with seven starts, he recorded 5.5 tackles for loss (minus-18), with two sacks and a pass breakup. Mauti rewrote his career-high in tackles in three consecutive games during the season. He was selected Big Ten Co-Defensive Player-of-the-Week against Northwestern, after making a career-high 11 tackles and a career-best 3.0 TFL in the historic comeback win. In his first game since the 2009 Rose Bowl due to a serious knee injury, Mauti made five tackles against Youngstown State. He recorded six hits at No. 1 Alabama in his first career start. Mauti tied his then-career-high with seven tackles in the 24-0 win over Kent State. He recorded seven tackles in the win over Temple, with five hits in the second half, helping the Nittany Lions hold the Owls to 71 yards and no points in the final two quarters. His seven tackles tied for the team-high. He made six tackles, including four solos, in the Big Ten-opener at Iowa and recorded his first career sack, taking down quarterback Ricky Stanzi for a five-yard loss. Mauti did not see action in the Big Ten home-opener with Illinois due to a sprained ankle. He broke his career-high in tackles at Minnesota, leading the linebacking corps with eight stops, including five solos and 0.5 TFL for a loss of two yards. Mauti rewrote his career-best in hits for the second consecutive week, totaling a team-high 10 in the primetime win over Michigan. For the third straight game, Mauti broke his career-high in tackles, recording 11 against Northwestern to share Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Week honors. He made a career-best three tackles for minus-eight yards in helping Penn State rally from a 21-0 deficit to post a 35-21 decision for Joe Paterno's 400th win. Mauti made one tackle at Ohio State, but left the game in the second quarter with a shoulder injury, which sidelined him against Indiana. In limited action against No. 10 Michigan State, he recorded two tackles. Mauti compiled four stops against Florida in the Outback Bowl, with 0.5 tackles for loss. He saw action on 476 snaps, topped by 59 against Florida and 58 in the wins over Minnesota and Northwestern.

2009 Sophomore Season
Mauti tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during an August practice, sidelining him for the season. He took a medical redshirt season.

2008 Freshman Season
Mauti proved to be an immediate asset for the defense and special teams after graduating from high school early and enrolling in the University in January 2008. One of three true freshmen to play in every game, he made 26 tackles, with one minus-yardage stop and a fumble hit. He made a season-high seven tackles against Michigan, including one for a two-yard loss. He delivered one of the biggest hits of the season when he leveled Wolverine Sam McGuffie on a kickoff return, forcing a fumble. The Wolverines recovered the pigskin, but Mauti's hit charged the Nittany Lion defense and faithful in erasing a 10-0 deficit to win, 46-17. Mauti also made three stops each in the wins over Indiana and Michigan State and had two hits in four other games. Mauti saw action on 249 snaps, led by 33 against the Wolverines and 30 against Southern California in the Rose Bowl. He made four tackles in the 2009 Blue-White game and was the recipient of the Jim O'Hora Award, presented to the defense's most improved player during spring practice.

High School
A hard-hitting linebacker for Coach Guy LeCompte at Mandeville HS, Mauti was selected to the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He finished his senior season with 121 tackles, 24 for loss, with four sacks. He also caused four turnovers, including two forced fumbles and two interceptions, which he returned for touchdowns. He was ranked among the ESPN.com Top 150 recruits in the nation and was rated a Top 20 inside linebacker by Rivals.com.

Personal
Full name is Michael D. Mauti. He is the son of Rich and Nancy Mauti. He has an older brother, Patrick, and sister, Rachel. Patrick was a wide receiver for the Nittany Lions from 2005-09. Their father was a letterman at Penn State in 1975 and '76 as a wide receiver and played for the National Football League New Orleans Saints (1977-83) and Washington Redskins (1984). Michael is majoring in crime, law and justice. Born January 19, 1990 in New Orleans, La.