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sponsibility on and o7 the 6eld with the utmost seriousness. A8er watching his predecessors rack up big numbers – Hull 6nished with 140 tackles in 2014, Carson with 90 the pre- vious season, and Mauti with 95 in 2012 – Wartman's new reality is one in which his mind and leadership are going to be counted on at least as much as his ath- leticism and on-6eld ability. In fact, when tapped by Penn State head coach James Franklin and his sta7 this spring to take over the role, Wartman noted that he's "not the most powerful" or "fastest" line- backer on Penn State's roster. But he's far from the slowest, and he can look to Hull, last season's Big Ten Linebacker of the Year, as an example to follow. "I know it's just teaching me a new way to take on blockers," he said, citing his evolution from a linebacker who would linger on blockers into one who is now able to move well, avoid slower, hulking o7ensive linemen and get to the ball. "I used to focus on the block more than the ball. Now as I get older, even in the middle, it's just focusing on the ball and not worrying about the blocker. "I guess you could say you have to be bigger, but I don't really think that matters at the end of the day. If you've got a guy who's savvy and willing to get to the ball, that's what mat- ters." Not coincidentally, those qualities were exactly what Franklin was seeking when he went looking for Hull's replacement. Although Wartman was forced to miss action this spring due to an unspeci6ed injury, Franklin showed little hesitation in pointing to the 6-foot-1, 243-pound linebacker as the leading candidate to take over for Hull. "There are a lot of options there," he said. "I think Wartman is an option. Big, strong, physical guy who moves very, very well. He's got experience now playing the position. You'd like to have a linebacker who has played enough football. "I think the fact that these guys actually watched Mike Hull for the last couple years is valuable, as well as just how the guy practiced and prepared." Wartman has a lighthearted and joking personality, but his off-season has been one of complete focus and preparation. He has fully bought into the standards and expectations that Penn State defen- sive coordinator Bob Shoop and line- backers coach Brent Pry established last year. "I used to be a jokester. I'd know my assignments and I'd get lined up and everything during a walk-through. But I want to have a successful defense this year, so I know if I'm going to play Mike, most of it is going to be predicated on me just getting us set up. So I've really got to take this seriously," he said. "There's no room for error, and I've got big shoes to 6ll. "I don't have to play equal to or better [than Hull]. I just know that I need to get the job done for us to be the team I know we want to be." Although he 6nished with 75 tackles, second only to Hull's Big Ten-leading total, Wartman was dissatis6ed with the outcome of the 2014 season because Penn State didn't fare quite so well as a team as its top-6ve defense did. After opening the season with four consecutive victories, the Nittany Lions went 2-6 in Big Ten play and needed an overtime victory over Boston College to lift themselves back above .500 for the year. Wartman is hoping for more in 2015. Penn State's defense boasts a solid core of starters, and with the situational im- provements the Lions are looking to make as a unit this season, particularly in two-minute, crunch-time scenarios, S P R I N G P R A C T I C E SHAKE ON IT Franklin greets Wartman prior to the Nittany Lions' game against Indiana last sea- son. As a sophomore, Wartman finished second on the team with 75 tack- les. Photo by Steve Manuel

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