Nick Mangold, the burly Ohio State center, has learned to not leave things lying around the house. His roommate, a certified neat freak, will usually just throw them away.

Which, when you think about it, makes sense. Few people clean up as well as A.J. Hawk on the football field, so why should it be any different anywhere else?

"He's probably the most anal guy about keeping things clean," Mangold said. "I'm keep things pretty neat, but he takes it to a whole new level."

Hawk and fellow seniors Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel, arguably the best trio of linebackers in college football, have taken the position to a different level this season and should give Penn State all it can handle when the No. 6 Buckeyes meet the No. 16 Nittany Lions on Saturday.

"What makes those guys special is not only can they stop the run," said Penn State quarterback Michael Robinson, "but they can line up and cover people."

Hawk, Schlegel and Carpenter are 1-2-3 on the Ohio State tackles list and have combined for 131/2 of the team's 26 tackles for loss, including 81/2 of its 16 sacks.

Sideline to sideline, first quarter to fourth, they are the heart, soul and heavily muscled arms of the nation's fifth-best total defense and, not surprisingly, earned rave reviews from Penn State head coach Joe Paterno this week.

"It is one of the better defensive teams you will ever see," Paterno said. "I don't mean just this year, but you will see play any time. In all of the years I have been coaching, this is probably one of the better defensive teams I have seen. They are more organized, disciplined, great leadership, great intensity and very, very, very physical. If we are comparable to them, I would feel pretty good."

Hawk was a first-team all-conference pick by both the coaches and media and racked up 141 tackles last season. Carpenter and Schlegel added 93 and 84, respectively, but the Buckeye defense as a whole was uncharacteristically vulnerable last season, allowing 24 or more points in four games, all losses.

"In 2003 we had a veteran defense, and sent about six or seven of those guys into the NFL," said Ohio State head coach Jim Tressel. "A year ago, a lot of new faces had their growing pains at times. Now, they're more experienced, and they've done a great job thus far this year."

Ohio State, which is allowing just 41 rushing yards per game, has a terrific pair of safeties in Donte Whitner and Nate Salley and Mike Kudla is an underrated defensive end, but the linebackers are what make the Buckeyes go.

And, Hawk's meticulous tidying habits aside, they know how to enjoy themselves. Carpenter showed up in the media room in a Top Gun costume after last year's game against Penn State, and Schlegel said that rarely a week goes by without one of the linebackers pulling a prank on one of the others. Lockers rigged to shower an unsuspecting player with water, for example.

The Nittany Lions realize the challenge Ohio State's trio presents, but were quick to point out that they see a pretty good crop of linebackers every day.

"We've faced great linebackers before. We have great linebackers on our own team, and we go against them every practice," left guard Charles Rush said. "As long as we execute, we'll be fine."

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