Dec. 9, 2013
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa.; December 9, 2013 - Penn State first-team All-Big Ten selection DaQuan Jones (Johnson City, N.J.) has accepted an invitation to play in the 65th Senior Bowl.
The standout defensive tackle will participate in the highly anticipated all-star contest on Saturday, January 25, 2014. Kickoff is at 4:00 p.m. ET/3:00 p.m. CT at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. NFL Network will televise the contest.
A 2013 co-captain, Jones will be the 20th Nittany Lion to play in the Senior Bowl in the past 10 years. Penn State defensive tackle Jordan Hill played in the 2013 Senior Bowl and defensive end Jack Crawford, cornerback D'Anton Lynn and guard Johnnie Troutman played in the 2012 Senior Bowl.
Jones will be the seventh Penn State defensive lineman to play in the Senior Bowl in the past 11 years, joining Hill, Crawford, Anthony Adams, Michael Haynes, Tamba Hali and Jared Odrick.
A 2013 first-team All-Big Ten selection for Coach Bill O'Brien's squad, Jones led Penn State with 11.5 tackles for loss (minus-42 yards). He was fifth on the squad with 56 tackles (33 solo), recorded three sacks (minus-21) and had a fumble recovery. A starter in 23 games over the past two seasons, Jones led all Big Ten defensive tackles in hits this season.
The former Johnson City Senior High School standout is the 13th different Nittany Lion defensive lineman to earn first-team All-Big Ten honors since 1998 under the tutelage of defensive line coach Larry Johnson.
Additional Penn State seniors are expected to accept all-star game invitations.
Penn State finished the season with a 7-5 record (4-4 in Big Ten), having won 15 of its last 22 games under second-year coach O'Brien. The Nittany Lions return 16 starters for the 2014 season (8 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist), which begins August 30 vs. No. 15 UCF in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing 2014 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.