Dec. 15, 2009
Penn State senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick (Lebanon), junior linebacker Navorro Bowman (District Heights, Md.) and senior tackle Dennis Landolt (Burlington, N.J.) have been named to the Associated Press All-America team.
Odrick was named to the second team, while Bowman and Landolt were third team selections. Penn State and Iowa led all Big Ten schools with three AP All-Americans.
The All-America honor is the third for Odrick, who previously was selected to the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) All-America Team, becoming Penn State's 94th first team All-American. He and Bowman also were named second team All-Americans by CBSsports.com. The AP recognition is Landolt's first All-America honor.
The 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year, Odrick is the 80th Penn State football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition, a total of 94 times, dating back to W.T. (Mother) Dunn's selection to the Walter Camp All-America squad in 1906.
Odrick is the Nittany Lions' 77th first team All-American under Hall of Fame coach Joe Paterno. Penn State has had at least one All-American in 39 of his 44 years as head coach, with eight first team All-America selections in the past five seasons.
The former Lebanon High School All-American is Penn State's sixth defensive lineman to earn first team All-America honors in the past 10 years, joining Courtney Brown (1999), Michael Haynes (2002), Jimmy Kennedy (2002), Tamba Hali (2005) and Aaron Maybin (2008).
A two-time first team All-Big Ten honoree, Odrick is a three-year starter who has been double teamed by every opponent throughout the season. He is ranked No. 8 in the conference with 6.0 sacks for minus-45 yards. Odrick is fifth on the team with 41 tackles, has 10.0 tackles for loss (minus-56 yards), with one blocked field goal, one pass break-up and three quarterback hurries.
Bowman finished the regular season by earning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors in Penn State's last two games, wins over Indiana and Michigan State. He leads the team with 15.5 TFL (minus-55) despite missing 2 ¾ games with an early season injury. Bowman is No. 2 nationally among all linebackers in TFL with a 1.55 average and No. 10 nationally overall in minus-yardage hits.
Also a two-time first team all-conference selection, Bowman is second on the team with 84 hits, good for No. 7 in the Big Ten in tackles per game (8.4 avg.). The former Suitland High School standout also has three sacks, is tied for team lead with two interceptions and two fumble recoveries and has three pass break-ups.
The Capital One Bowl vs. LSU will mark Landolt's 39th consecutive and final start on the Penn State offensive line. The fifth-year senior consistently grades out at 90 percent or higher and anchors a line that played a large role in Penn State leading the Big Ten in total offense and ranking No. 2 in scoring.
A 2009 First Team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches, Landolt earned the conference accolade after switching from right tackle to left during pre-season camp. Behind the protection of Landolt and his linemates, Daryll Clark is No. 1 in the Big Ten in passing efficiency and has thrown a school season record 23 touchdown passes. Penn State is tied for second in the Big Ten in fewest sacks allowed and has eclipsed 500 yards of total offense on four occasions, including 512 in the regular season finale at Michigan State.
The former Holy Cross High School all-state selection is on schedule to earn his second Penn State undergraduate degree this weekend.
The No. 11/9 Nittany Lions (10-2) will play No. 13 LSU (9-3) in the 64th Capital One Bowl on Jan. 1, 2010. The second all-time meeting between the teams will kick at 1:00 p.m. in Orlando, Fla. and air on ABC, Sports USA Radio and the Penn State Sports Network. Penn State will be playing in its fourth different New Year's bowl game in the last five years.
For ticket information on the Capital One Bowl, go to Bowl Central at www.GoPSUsports.com/gameday.
Penn State is 50-13 (79.3) since the start of the 2005 season, the nation's No. 8 winning percentage over that span. Penn State will be playing in its 36th bowl game under Paterno, who is the all-time leader in post-season appearances and victories (23-11-1 record). The Nittany Lions were No. 13 in the final Bowl Championship Series rankings.
Penn State has earned its 24th New Year's bowl bid under the Hall of Fame coach, who owns a 16-7 mark in such contests. The Nittany Lions have posted Paterno's Football Bowl Subdivision record 21st season with at least 10 victories.