A week after perhaps his worst game (and the subsequent criticism in the aftermath), the Penn State linebacker had the best outing of his career. Hull notched a team-high 11 tackles, all solo, as the Nittany Lions shut down Purdue, 20-6, Saturday.

As a result, Penn State (6-0 overall, 2-0 Big Ten) is ranked No. 6 for the second straight week in the Associated Press and USA Today coaches' polls that were released yesterday.

Against the lifeless Boilermakers (2-3, 0-1), Hull set the tone early, recording the defense's first big stop when he dropped Boilermakers running back Kory Sheets for a 2-yard loss. The redshirt junior had six tackles in the first quarter and set a career mark with nine tackles before the break.

Hull said it wasn't a performance meant to shut up the naysayers.

They "didn't provide any motivation," Hull said.

For a team that hasn't had much to be negative about, the middle linebacker has been the target of fan and media criticism for much of the season. Through the first five games, he had only 21 tackles. The cries for his benching reached an apex last week after Illinois ran through the middle of the Lions' defense.

Told of the criticism Tuesday, Joe Paterno defended the former walk-on, whom the 81-year-old coach awarded with a scholarship during the summer.

"You want me to be critical of people who are too dumb to know what a good football player is?" Paterno said. "He's a good, solid football player. I'm not going to get into [that] and justify criticism."

Because he plays the trademark position at Linebacker U and because he's had to follow two all-Americans, Hull walked into a difficult spot when he was named the starting middle linebacker before the season. Defensive coordinator Tom Bradley said Hull's predecessors, Paul Posluszny and Dan Connor, both now in the NFL, had their growing pains as well.

"I compare it to when Paul first went in there a couple of years ago," Bradley said. "And Paul got his sea legs under him, and he was ready to go. And I think Josh is going to be the same way."

Still, one game isn't going to change the perception that Hull doesn't have the instincts to stop the run or the speed to defend against the pass. Some have suggested that Tyrell Sales take over Hull's position inside and Bani Gbadyu replace Sales on the outside. Others think the Lions should just stay in the nickel with Navorro Bowman and Sales or Gbadyu as the linebackers and intuitive safety Drew Astorino as the nickel back.

Penn State likely will stay in its traditional 4-3-4 defense at Wisconsin on Saturday. The Badgers employ a bruising, run-heavy offense.