Dec. 3, 2011
INDIANAPOLIS, December 3, 2011 - Penn State senior defensive tackle Devon Still (Wilmington, Del.) received a pair of honors at Friday night's first Big Ten Football Awards Gala at the Indiana Convention Center.
Still first received the Big Ten Smith-Brown Defensive Lineman of the Year honor from award namesake Courtney Brown, a first-team Penn State All-American in 1999. Still later was honored as the conference's Nagurski-Woodson Defensive Player of the Year, receiving the hardware from Tony Nagurski, the son of award namesake Bronko Nagurski.
Still was one of just three Big Ten football student-athletes to earn multiple honors at the Awards Gala, being joined by Wisconsin tailback Montee Ball and Nebraska placekicker/punter Brett Maher.
The line-up of football legends presenting awards also included former Penn State two-time All-America tight end Ted Kwalick. He and Dallas Clark, a member of the Indianapolis Colts, presented the first Kwalick-Clark Tight End of the Year Award to Northwestern's Drake Dunsmore.
Joining Penn State's Brown and Kwalick among the award presenters Friday night were numerous former Big Ten football standouts and award namesakes, including: Morten Andersen, Dick Butkus, Ron Dayne, Eddie George, Bob Griese, Antwaan Randle El, Dave Rimington and Anthony Thompson.
The trophy namesakes or their family members will also be recognized on the field prior to tonight's inaugural Big Ten Football Championship Game. Still and the other 2011 award winners will be honored between the first and second quarters of the contest in Lucas Oil Stadium. Coverage of the game begins at 7:30 p.m. ET on FOX, with kickoff slated for 8:17 p.m.
A co-captain, Still is the fifth Nittany Lion to be selected Big Ten Defensive Player of Year since 1998. He joins an elite group of former Nittany Lions, all of whom were first-team All-Americans, to earn Big Ten Defensive Player of Year: linebacker LaVar Arrington (1998), defensive end Courtney Brown (1999), defensive end Michael Haynes (2002) and defensive tackle Jared Odrick (2009). Since 1994, Still and Odrick are the only defensive tackles who have earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year.
Still is a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy, presented to the nation's top defensive player. He also is a finalist for the Outland Trophy, awarded to the nation's premier interior lineman.
For the season, the former Howard Tech standout 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 12 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. 23 Penn State and No. 15 Wisconsin tied for the Big Ten Leaders Division title with 6-2 records. The Nittany Lions (9-3) are eligible to participate in their 44th bowl game. 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.
The Nittany Lions should learn their bowl destination and opponent shortly after 6 p.m. on Sunday. Tickets for Penn State's bowl game will go on sale shortly after the announcement at www.GoPSUsports.com. Phone orders will begin Monday at 10 a.m. at 1-800-NITTANY.
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