March 3, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - Penn State linebacker Dan Connor will receive the 2007 Chuck Bednarik Award on Friday, March 7 at the 71st Annual Maxwell Football Club Awards dinner. Connor is the third consecutive Nittany Lion to win the prestigious honor, joining linebacker Paul Posluszny, the 2005 and '06 winner.
The black tie event is being held at Harrah's in Atlantic City, N.J.
The Maxwell Football Club presents the Bednarik Award to the nation's top defensive player. The award was first presented in 1995 in honor of former Philadelphia Eagles standout Chuck Bednarik.
A two-time first team All-American, Connor joins Posluszny and another "Linebacker U" standout, LaVar Arrington (1999) as Penn State's Bednarik Award winners. Connor was previously honored by the Maxwell Football Club as the recipient of the 2003 Jim Henry Award, presented to the Philadelphia Area High School Player of the Year.
A native of Wallingford, Pa., Connor became the 14th Nittany Lion to earn first team All-America honors twice, joining linebackers Dennis Onkotz (1968-69), Shane Conlan (1985-86), Arrington (1998-99) and Posluszny (2005-06).
Penn State's career tackle leader with 419, Connor led the Nittany Lion defense to top 15 national rankings in rushing (No. 7, 93.8 ypg), scoring (No. 7, 17.5 ppg) and total defense (No. 11, 308.2 ypg), as well as No. 2 in sacks (46) and No. 10 in tackles for losses (102) in 2007. Penn State, Ohio State and USC were the only teams to finish in the top 15 in all five categories. A finalist for the 2007 Butkus Award, Connor and the Nittany Lion defense held seven teams to 17 points or less this past season, including a 24-17 win over Texas A&M in the Valero Alamo Bowl.
Connor posted nine tackles vs. the Aggies to finish the 2007 season with 145 stops, the second-highest season mark in Penn State history behind All-American Greg Buttle's 165 in 1974. The former Strath Haven High School All-American also had one tackle for loss vs. Texas A&M and ended his career with 34, tied for the 12th best mark at Penn State with Posluszny. Connor was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week four times in his outstanding career, which included 20 career double figure tackle games.
Connor graduated in December. He made a game-high nine tackles and grabbed an interception in the 59th Senior Bowl to earn the Under Armour Award, symbolic of the overall North MVP.
Joe Paterno enters his 43rd season as head coach with 18 returning starters (8 defense, 8 offense, 2 specialists). During the 2008 campaign, the Nittany Lions will face eight teams that played in bowl games this past year, including five at home: Oregon State (Sept. 6), Illinois (Sept. 27), Michigan (Oct. 18-Homecoming), Indiana (Nov. 15) and Michigan State (Nov. 22).