Mike Hull is something of a student of college football.

He's familiar, for example, with the success of Penn State's teams in the early 1970s, the ones that played in the Cotton, Orange and Sugar bowls back when they were New Year's contests each with national championship implications.

He is familiar, for example, with Penn State's 14-0 loss to Oklahoma in the Sugar Bowl game played Dec. 31, 1972, back then, it was a game that cost the Nittany Lions a shot at the national title.

"John Cappeletti was sick," Hull said, using the modern teen-age definistion for really good. "I've seen the films. I love watching the films. I love college football."

That's a good thing, because Hull, a sophomore linebacker and running back at Canon-McMillan, already seems well on his way to playing football in college. He was a first-team All-Great Southern Conference selection as a freshman, no small feat considering state champion Upper St. Clair and powerful McKeesport were in the conference, and that his team went winless in five conference games.

"To be an all-conference selection like that as a freshman is really something," Canon-McMillan coach Guy Montecalvo said. "The thing of it is, he was picked at linebacker. But he's a heck of a running back, too. It's hard to say right now where he will end up playing, because he's outstanding at both positions."

Hull led his team in tackles last season with 109 and, at 6 feet 1, 200 pounds, flew around the field on both sides of the ball. He was an outside linebacker and a tailback last season but is beginning this season at inside linebacker.

Montecalvo likens him to current Penn State linebacker Dan Connor or former Nittany Lions linebacker Paul Poszluzny, both of whom played both inside and outside spots in their college days.

Comparisons to Penn State linebackers are nothing new for Hull. His father, Tom, played middle linebacker on those Penn State teams of the early '70s, so his knowledge of the team and those games comes honestly.

Tom Hull is a volunteer assistant defensive coach this season with Canon-McMillan, a fact that has both positive and negative implications for his son.

"It's great to have him here because he has always pushed me to be my best," Hull said. "But there are times when it's tough. He pushes me and that helps me, but sometimes it seems like he takes it over the hill a little bit. But I know he just wants me to be my best and that means a lot."

Hull has proven proficient on defense as both a run-stopper and pass defender. Montecalvo said he has the size, strength and speed -- he's been timed consistently at 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash -- to play defensive back if necessary.

"He reads and reacts really well and he has explosive strength," Montecalvo said. "We had him stepping up to stop the run or dropping back into coverage and he was great. He made a couple of big interceptions and big plays for us knocking down passes and covering receivers.

"I have to say that he's one of the stronger people I've ever been around. He can bench press 350 to 360 pounds, and he's great with squats, too. This kid is really the complete package."

Montecalvo is no less effusive in his praise of Hull as a running back.

"He has special talent as a running back," Montecalvo said. "He's very agile and very strong. He can run over people, but he has that ability to make people miss in the open field. He could be a very good tailback in college depending on the kind of offense he gets into."

Hull is not thinking about playing college ball just yet. As a sophomore, he wants to help Canon-McMillan improve on last season, when the team won only once in nine regular-season games.

"I think we are going to be a lot better," Hull said. "We're returning a lot of players, we have a pretty big line and we've all been working really hard.

"We're going to be really strong with our run-blocking and with running the ball this year. Our line is strong. Our guys spent a lot of time in the weight room."