Hull answers questions about criticism

NOTE: This Q&A was from a teleconference Wednesday that included several PSU beat reporters asking Hull questions. One message board ripped me for ambushing the kid with all these questions. It wasn't the case. He was asked most of the questions by other reporters.

Also, some message board posters criticize the media for reading their posts. Well you know, it's part of our job in the media to keep on top of everything related to PSU football, and many reporters on the beat are on various boards reading posts. Penn State is so secretive about everything, and as strange as it may sound, there is newsworthy stuff on the message boards from time to time that is posted by people on campus or closer to the players than the media. Those tips often lead to stories that every media outlet eventually covers.

The criticism of Hull doesn't come from just the message boards, either. I have watched the kid struggle all season and have made note of it in the paper a few times, as have other papers. To me, the fact that everyone is talking about the kid struggling means it's an important story. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be here reading this.

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Penn State middle linebacker Josh Hull was on a teleconference this morning and was asked several questions about the criticism he's received and what he must do to improve as a player.

I give Hull credit for the way he handled himself with the questioning. It can't be easy being asked several times about the criticism, but Hull was open about it.

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Q: Are you aware of the criticism, and what would you tell the critics?

A: I'm aware of some of the criticism. I'm going to take it as it comes. You're going to experience some good, you're going to experience some bad. You can't let the negative experience affect you in a negative way. I'm going to move on and just really focus on getting better every day at practice and continue to progress with each game that I play.

Q: How tough is it to stay away from reading the criticism?

A: It's not difficult to stay away from at all. I'm here to do one thing, and that's to play football. Regardless of what people say about me, regardless of the opinions that they have, I'm not going to let any of that bother me. I'm here to be a great football player, and that's what I'm going to be.

Q: There were so many positive things written about you being a local kid and a walk-on. Have you been a little taken aback by some of the criticism?

A: It's definitely not going to take me back. Like I said, you're going to have the good with the bad. It is what it is. You just go out there and move on and not let it affect me.

Q: What do you feel you need to work on?

A: Just being more physical at the point of impact and shedding blockers a little better than what I have been.

Q: Why do you think you have only 21 tackles through five games?

A: I'm not quite sure why the number is so low. I'm just focused on making all the plays that I'm supposed to be making, and I do have the confidence to make some plays that I feel I should be making at my position. I've just got to discipline myself in practice every day to hustle to the ball and make as many plays as I'm capable of making.

Q: How would you assess your performance against Illinois?

A: I feel like I did OK. I made some plays. There were some plays that I should have made that I didn't make. But I'm going to learn as we go on. Big Ten football is a lot different than the first four games that we've started out with, and I have to be more disciplined and I have to play with more fundamentally sound techniques than I have the first the first four games if I want to continue to experience success.

Q: How would you evaluate yourself?

A: Every game that I go through, obviously the game slows down a lot, and I feel real comfortable going into the sixth game. I get more comfortable as it goes each and every day. I've noticed a big difference with pass routes. When I'm settling back into pass coverage, the routes are starting to develop real slow, and that allows me to put myself in the position that I need to be in.

Q: Is there anybody you turn to for advice, any of the past middle linebackers?

A: I'm closest right now with Sean Lee. … If I have a question [in practice], he's always the first guy that I go to. [He's] More than willing to go out of his way to help myself but any of the other linebackers.

Q: Have you discussed the criticism with Sean Lee?
A: He would definitely be good to help, but I don't feel that there's a need for me to discuss that with him. It's not bothering me right now, and if it does get to the point that it bothers me, I don't think I need to discuss that with anybody other than myself and my family.