For Trinity High School linebacker Mike Yancich, the rationale was simple.

"When you are a running back, if you want to be the best, you go to USC," he said, describing Southern California. "But, when you are a linebacker and you want to be the best and you think about tradition, you see yourself in a Penn State uniform. I just think about it like this: That's why they call the place Linebacker U."

And that is why Yancich will call the place home, as he made a verbal commitment to Penn State last night at a news conference at Trinity.

Yancich, at 6 feet 2, 220 pounds, will be a senior at Trinity in the fall and selected Penn State over Pitt, West Virginia, Connecticut and Michigan State. He admitted that he kept it secret but made up his mind, selecting Penn State, "some time last week." Yancich also said that, if he were to rank the schools, Connecticut would be No. 2.

But an overwhelming factor in his decision, in addition to the list of great linebackers who have played at Penn State, was coach Joe Paterno.

Everything came crashing down on Yancich on a recent visit to the Penn State campus.

"I looked up at him and said to myself, 'This is the greatest coach in college football history, and he wants me to play for him,' " Yancich explained. "When that happens, you fell pretty special. I mean, think about it, this is Joe Paterno telling you how much he likes you."

Yancich was a WPIAL Class AAA all-Big Seven Conference selection last season and is the second Trinity linebacker from the Class of 2008 to earn a scholarship from a Big Ten school, joining Andrew Sweat, who committed to Ohio State May 31.

Verbal commitments are non-binding, and recruits cannot sign a letter of intent until February.