Nov. 24, 2008
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - A school record 10 members of Penn State's Big Ten Championship football team have been selected first team All-Big Ten, with a record total of 14 Nittany Lions being recognized on the first or second team in voting by the conference coaches and media.
In addition, Joe Paterno has been named Dave McClain Coach of the Year and senior center A.Q. Shipley (Coraopolis) was selected Offensive Lineman of the Year.
The All-Big Ten football team was announced tonight live on the Big Ten Network. Penn State's 10 first team honorees easily led all conference schools. Iowa was second with four selections.
Offensive Lineman of the Year A.Q. Shipley |
Six Nittany Lions were selected to the first team offense: Shipley, senior tackle Gerald Cadogan (Portsmouth, Ohio), junior quarterback Daryll Clark (Youngstown, Ohio), senior placekicker Kevin Kelly (Langhorne), senior guard Rich Ohrnberger (East Meadow, N.Y.) and senior wide receiver Derrick Williams (Greenbelt, Md.).
Four Nittany Lions were named to the first team defense: sophomore linebacker Navorro Bowman (District Heights, Md.), sophomore defensive end Aaron Maybin (Ellicott City, Md.), junior defensive tackle Jared Odrick (Lebanon) and senior safety Anthony Scirrotto (West Deptford, N.J.).
Shipley and Scirrotto are two-time first team All-Big Ten honorees and Ohrnberger was a second team honoree last year.
Four Penn Staters earned second team All-Big Ten honors: senior wide receiver Deon Butler (Woodbridge, Va.); sophomore tailback Evan Royster (Fairfax, Va.), senior cornerback Lydell Sargeant (Lompoc, Calif.) and sophomore guard Stefen Wisniewski (Bridgeville).
Seven Nittany Lions earned honorable mention all-conference recognition: junior punter Jeremy Boone (Mechanicsburg), senior cornerback Tony Davis (Warren, Ohio), senior defensive end Josh Gaines (Ft. Wayne, Ind.), junior tackle Dennis Landolt (Butlington, N.J.), senior wide receiver Jordan Norwood (State College), senior safety Mark Rubin (Amherst, N.Y.) and senior linebacker Tyrell Sales (Butler).
Paterno previously was selected Big Ten Coach of the Year in 1994 and 2005. The award honors former Wisconsin coach Dave McClain. Michigan's Bo Schembechler is the only coach to win the honor more than Paterno (four times) since its inception in 1972. In his 43rd season as head coach, Paterno is the all-time victories leader among major college coaches with a 383-126-3 record.
Two-time first team All-Big Ten honoree Anthony Scirrotto |
A starter at center in the past 38 games, Mid-season All-American Shipley is Penn State's first recipient of the conference's Offensive Lineman of the Year honor.
Shipley and Clark have been instrumental in helping the Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in two of the four primary categories and rank no lower than third. The Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in total (452.2 ypg, 15th in nation) and scoring offense (40.2 ppg, 10th), are second in the conference in rushing (211.6 ypg, 15th) and third in passing offense (240.6 ypg, 37th).
Penn State and Tulsa are the only teams in the nation averaging more than 210 rushing yards per game and 240 passing yards per game, according to the Nov. 23 NCAA statistics.
Cadogan, a 2007 first team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American, was named Penn State's Sportsmanship recipient.
Paterno's squad is ranked No. 8 in this week's BCS standings and will play in the Rose Bowl (Jan. 1, 2009) or BCS National Championship (Jan. 8). Penn State is No. 6 in the Associated Press, USA Today Coaches and Harris Interactive polls. The BCS pairings will be announced Sunday, Dec. 7.
Penn State will be playing in its 35th bowl game under Paterno, who is the all-time leader in bowl appearances and wins (23-10-1 record).
(For the complete All-Big Ten teams, go to www.GoPSUsports.com.