Penn State to Honor Hall of Fame Linebacker Paul Posluszny at UCLA Game

Posluszny, the Nittany Lions' legendary linebacker, will be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in December.

Former Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny lines up against the Michigan State Spartans during a 2006 game at Beaver Stadium. / Jason Bridge-Imagn Images

Paul Posluszny, the former Penn State linebacker and member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame induction class, will get an on-campus salute Saturday during the Penn State-UCLA game at Beaver Stadium. Penn State and the National Football Foundation announced Wednesday that they will recognize Posluszny with a plaque and ceremony commemorating his December induction into the Hall of Fame.

"An All-American on the field and in the classroom, Paul Posluszny is the only defensive player to ever win National Defensive Player of the Year and Academic All-American of the Year honors in the same season," National Football Foundation President & CEO Steve Hatchell said in a statement. "We are thrilled to honor him at Beaver Stadium as a member of the 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class."

Posluszny was two-time, first-team All-American for the Nittany Lions in the 2000s, when he became a two-time winner of the Bednarik Award as the nation's top defensive player. He also won the 2005 Butkus Award as the nation's best linebacker. Posluszny made 372 career tackles in four seasons at Penn State, ranking him second on the program's career list. Posluszny started 37 consecutive games and became the first Penn State player to record three seasons with 100 tackles. He played 11 NFL seasons after being selected by the Buffalo Bills in the second round of the 2007 NFL Draft.

Posluszny will become the 27th Penn State representative of Penn State to be inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. He also is the 20th player and second consecutive linebacker, joining LaVar Arrington, who was inducted in 2022.

"I am really excited for Paul Posluszny earning this well-deserved honor of being elected into the College Football Hall of Fame," Penn State coach James Franklin said in a January statement announcing Posluszny's induction. "Paul is a great example of what Penn State Football is all about. He was elite on the field as a player, a leader and an overall teammate, but, he was also a tremendous role model for this program off the field. He is one of the all-time greats to ever wear this uniform and is just another shining example of Linebacker U."

Posluszny will join the following Penn State players in the College Football Hall of Fame: Pete Mauthe (1909-12), Dexter Very (1909-12), Shorty Miller (1910-13), Glenn Killinger (1918-21), Steve Suhey (1942; 46-47), Richie Lucas (1957-59), Dave Robinson (1960-62), Glenn Ressler 1962-64), Mike Reid (1966; 68-69), Ted Kwalick (1966-68), Dennis Onkotz (1967-69), Lydell Mitchell (1969-71), Jack Ham (1968-70), John Cappelletti (1971-73), Keith Dorney (1975-78), Curt Warner (1979-82), Shane Conlan (1983-86), Kerry Collins (1991-94), and LaVar Arrington (1997-99).

Penn State hosts UCLA for a noon ET kickoff Saturday at Beaver Stadium. FOX's Big Noon Kickoff will televise.

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