Dec. 13, 2011
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; - Penn State defensive tackle Devon Still (Wilmington, Del.) has been selected to three more All-America teams, lifting the number of his first-team selections to seven.
Still was named a first-team All-American by SI.com today after earning honors by Pro Football Weekly and Yahoo! Sports on Monday. The standout senior previously had been selected a first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, the Football Writers Association of America (FWAA), ESPN.com and CBSSports.com.
Penn State junior linebacker Gerald Hodges (Paulsboro, N.J.) was selected a Pro Football Weekly honorable-mention All-American, one of just four outside linebackers PFW recognized (two first-team, two honorable-mention). A first-team All-Big Ten honoree, Hodges ranks in the top 15 in the conference in tackles (97 tkls, 8th), sacks (4.5, 12th) and tackles for loss (10.0, 14th). The former Paulsboro High School standout was selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week in consecutive weeks in late October, which included a career-high 19-tackle effort in the win over Illinois.
Penn State's 96th first-team All-American, Still is the 82nd Penn State football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition, a total of 96 times, dating back to W.T. (Mother) Dunn's selection to the Walter Camp All-America squad in 1906.
A co-captain, Still is the Nittany Lions' 22nd first team All-American since starting Big Ten Conference competition in 1993 (26 total selections). Penn State has earned 10 first team All-America honorees in the past seven seasons. Still is the sixth Penn State defensive lineman to earn first-team All-America accolades since 2002.
A starter in 24 games the past two seasons, Still recently was selected the Big Ten Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year and as the conference's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year.
The former Howard Tech standout was a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation's top defensive player. Still also was a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's premier interior lineman.
For the season, Still is second in the Big Ten in solo tackles for loss (15.0) and is tied for third in overall TFL (17.0-minus 77), leading a Penn State defense that ranks in the Top 10 nationally in scoring, total, pass and pass efficiency defense. Still is among the conference leaders with 4.5 sacks (minus-36) and has recorded 55 tackles, with one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and a pass break-up.
No. 22 Penn State and Wisconsin tied for the Big Ten Leaders Division title with 6-2 records. The Nittany Lions (9-3) will play No. 19 Houston (12-1) in the TicketCity Bowl in Dallas on Jan. 2 in the first bowl game of 2012. Penn State's 27 bowl wins are No. 3 nationally and 43 bowl visits are good for No. 8 in the nation. The Nittany Lions lead all Big Ten teams in bowl victories and winning percentage (65.1, 27-14-2 record) and are No. 2 in bowl appearances.
Playing in a New Year's bowl game for the sixth time in the last seven years, tickets for Penn State's clash with Houston are on sale at www.GoPSUsports.com or by calling 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-6 p.m.