Michael Mauti probably would have become one of the great Penn State linebackers, in the pantheon of that position at LBU, anyway. A legacy whose dad, Rich, played in Happy Valley and whose brother, Patrick, was a wideout for the Nittany Lions, Mauti committed on the spot to Joe Paterno (to his father’s chagrin) during an on-campus visit, a four star linebacker and the number one player in the state of Louisiana in the 2008 recruiting class.
He probably would have been a great player anyway, but Mauti solidified his status in the Penn State history books when this happened:
After the NCAA sanctions were imposed in the summer of 2012, Mauti was a galvanizing force on the sidelines and field, keeping the bulk of the Penn State squad together and giving the PSU community hope and faith in the future.