Dec. 7, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Record-setting quarterback Daryll Clark (Youngstown, Ohio) has been named the Most Valuable Player of the 2009 Penn State football team.
A two-time first team All-Big Ten honoree, Clark was presented the Outstanding Senior Player Award to highlight the State College Quarterback Club's annual banquet honoring the Nittany Lion football team. A crowd of of nearly 1,000 packed the main ballroom at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel on Sunday to honor the Big Ten Champions.
A co-captain, Clark has a 21-4 record as the starting quarterback and owns multiple Penn State season and career passing and total offense records. He leads the Big Ten in pass efficiency (145.7) and touchdown passes (23). This season, he is 214 of 346 (61.8) for a school record 2,787 yards, with a Penn State record 23 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. The former Ursuline High School standout also has rushed for 191 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns.
Clark is one of only 12 Big Ten players since 1950 to be named first team all-conference quarterback multiple times. He was the only player selected Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week three times this season and has five career conference weekly accolades. Clark was selected a semifinalist for the Davey O'Brien National Quarterback Award for the second consecutive season and named one of the final 10 candidates for the 2009 Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, presented to the nation's top senior quarterback.
Clark is one of three finalists for the 2009 Big Ten Silver Football, presented by the Chicago Tribune to the Conference MVP. The winner will be announced Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 11:00 p.m. on the Big Ten Network. Running back John Clay (Wisconsin) and defensive end Brandon Graham (Michigan) are the other finalists. The legendary Red Grange of Illinois won the first Silver Football in 1924 and it has been presented annually since.
Penn State quarterbacks Kerry Collins (1994) and Michael Robinson (2005) are previous recipients of the Silver Football.
In addition to the player awards (see below), former Nittany Lion All-American Brandon Short was presented the Alumni Athlete Award. A Penn State letterman from 1996-99, he was selected a first team All-America middle linebacker as a senior in 1999, helping Penn State to a 10-3 mark. The McKeesport, Pa. standout was a four-year starter and a two-time All-Big Ten honoree. A co-captain as a senior, Short also was one of three finalists for the 1999 Butkus Award, which was won by teammate LaVar Arrington.
Brandon Short |
Short was selected by the New York Giants in the fourth round of the 2000 National Football League Draft and played five years with the Giants and two with the Carolina Panthers. He is on schedule to graduate in May 2010 from the Columbia University School of Business and will be joining Goldman Sachs' investment banking division.
Other 2009 State College Quarterback Club award winners were:
- Richard Maginnis Memorial Award (outstanding offensive lineman) - senior center Dennis Landolt (Burlington, N.J.);
- John Bruno, Jr. Memorial Award (outstanding member of special teams) - senior punter Jeremy Boone (Mechanicsburg);
- Ridge Riley Award (senior for "sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership and friendship") - senior linebacker Sean Lee (Pittsburgh);
- Robert B. Mitinger, Jr. Award (senior who exhibits courage, character and social responsibility) - senior defensive end Jerome Hayes (Bayonne, N.J.);
- Quarterback Club Special Awards - senior linebacker Josh Hull (Millheim) and senior defensive tackle Jared Odrick (Lebanon);
- Walk-on Award (walk-on player(s) who exemplifies total commitment, loyalty, hard work and courage) - senior defensive end Tom Golarz (Bloomington, Ind.) and senior wide receiver Patrick Mauti;
- The Nittany Lion Club Academic Achievement Award (senior with highest GPA) was presented to senior kick snapper Andrew Pitz (Bettendorf, Iowa). Pitz and Hull are two-time first team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-Americans.
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.
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 are No. 9 in the USA Today Coaches and Harris Interactive polls, No. 11 in the Associated Press poll and 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.