This isn’t the first time Penn State linebacker Michael Mauti looked more prepared coming off an injury.

As a senior in high school, he broke a bone in his foot, causing him to miss six games.

But as his Mandeville High School teammates conditioned on the field, the linebacker rode his bike around the track that surrounded where his team practiced.

“He wasn’t going to sit idle,” Mandeville football coach Guy LeCompte said.

He returned to action in Week 7 that senior season, and as LeCompte noted, Mauti started right where he left off.

His Penn State teammates are now saying the same thing after an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in his right knee sidelined him from play all of last season. Though Mauti has been held out of contact since that time, the Louisiana native has bulked up by adding about five pounds since spring — making “100 percent healthy” a term to be surpassed. He’s expecting to fully participate in all drills when the team opens fall camp Aug. 9.

“I’d say better than that,” linebacker Nate Stupar said. “110 percent.”

Mauti, who went home to train during the summer, has been yearning to play with no restraint since the Blue-White game, when he said his down period stretched to six months.

Mauti’s history and anticipation aren’t good signs for Stupar, Bani Gbadyu and Chris Colasanti, who are his main competitors for the three starting linebacker spots. The redshirt sophomore practiced at the Sam, or strong side, during the spring but has no position preference.

Though the starting contingent isn’t set, Mauti was a preseason candidate to start last season before his injury and likely is a lock to start this fall if he doesn’t experience setbacks.

“I’m ready,” Mauti said. “The way I look at it is I’ve had longer to prepare for this season than any other season in my life.”

Sean Lee helped get Mauti prepared during his recuperation. Lee was in a similar situation last offseason while recovering from an ACL tear in his right knee, and the current Dallas Cowboy gave Mauti advice throughout his recovery.

If all the statements are true about Mauti being ready, Lee’s advice paid off — but maybe not as much as the work ethic LeCompte said the redshirt sophomore inherited from his father, former Penn State receiver Rich Mauti. Just like when he did upper-body workouts his senior year of high school to make up for his injury-ridden lower body, Mauti seems keen for another comeback.

“He’s the best I ever had as far as work ethic,” LeCompte said. “I use him as an example.