Jan. 16, 2014
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa., January 16, 2014 - The 89th Annual East-West Shrine Game will feature three Penn State players, with linebacker Glenn Carson (Manahawkin, N.J.) and guard John Urschel (Williamsville, N.Y.) playing for the East squad and safety Stephen Obeng-Agyapong (Bronx, N.Y.) suiting up for the West team.
The contest will air on the NFL Network on Saturday, Jan. 18 at 4:00 p.m. from St. Petersburg, Fla. The game will be streamed at www.shrinegame.com.
A starter in every game the past two seasons, Carson added to the storied tradition of LinebackerU. products by moving into the school top 10 in career tackles during his senior season. An honorable mention All-Big Ten selection by both the coaches and media, he led Penn State with 90 tackles, ranking 12th in the Big Ten at 7.5 stops per game.
Carson started 36 games at middle linebacker in his career and compiled 261 career tackles to grab the No. 10 spot on the Penn State career charts. He posted nine double-digit tackle games during his time in the blue and white, including a career-high 14 at Nebraska in 2012 and 13 vs. Wisconsin in the 2012 overtime victory at Beaver Stadium. His career totals also included 2.0 sacks, 9.0 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles. Carson was a 2013 team co-captain and graduated last spring.
Obeng-Agyapong was one of the most versatile players on the Nittany Lions defense last season, playing safety and linebacker. All four of Obeng-Agyapong's starts came at linebacker during the 2013 season, pushing his career total to 16 starts. The Bronx, N.Y. native compiled 34 tackles, with 2.0 tackles for loss, one sack, one interception and one forced and recovered fumble. Obeng-Agyapong made a season-high eight tackles, one off his career-high, in the 2013 opening win over Syracuse at MetLife Stadium.
In his career, Obeng-Agyapong compiled 95 tackles, forced two fumbles, recovered two fumbles, added 4.5 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks. Along with his on-field accomplishments, he graduated in May 2013 with his degree in information sciences and technology and is on schedule to receive his second degree, in security risk analysis, in May 2014.
A 2013 Associated Press third-team All-American, Urschel started all 24 games the past two seasons and was selected first-team All-Big Ten by the coaches for the second consecutive season. A two-time CoSIDA first-team Academic All-American, Urschel became the first Penn State player to earn the National Football Foundation's prestigious William V. Campbell Trophy, regarded as college football's academic Heisman Trophy, and claimed the Senior CLASS Award for college football.
Urschel joined Jeff Hartings (1993-95) and Stefen Wisniewski (2009-10) as the only Nittany Lion offensive linemen to earn multiple first-team All-Big Ten accolades. He was instrumental in helping true freshman quarterback Christian Hackenberg break 11 school freshman passing and total offense records and Zach Zwinak and Bill Belton combine to rush for 1,792 yards last season. Urschel was the recipient or co-recipient of the offensive line's player of the game honor in 10 of 12 games this season. He graduated with undergraduate and master's degrees in Math with a 4.0 grade-point average.
Season ticket renewals are underway online and Nittany Lion Club members are reminded that the deadline for donations is February 1. There again was no increase in season tickets prices for Penn State football for the 2014 season. New season tickets are available by calling 1-800-NITTANY, weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Penn State announced the hiring of James Franklin its 16th head football coach on Jan. 11. Coach Franklin and the Nittany Lions open the 2014 season on Aug. 30 vs. UCF in Dublin, Ireland at the Croke Park Classic.
Penn State returns 15 starters (7 offense, 7 defense, 1 specialist) and will host Rose Bowl Champion Michigan State (Nov. 29), Ohio State (Oct. 25), Northwestern (Sept. 27-Homecoming) and Maryland (Nov. 1) during its 2014 Big Ten home schedule. The Nittany Lions will play a trio of 2013 Top 10 teams next season.
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