July 23, 2015
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa ââ'¬" Junior quarterback Christian Hackenberg (Palmyra, Va.) earned his fourth preseason watch list nod when he was among the candidates for the Manning Award for the nation's top collegiate quarterback. Hackenberg was previously named to the Maxwell Award watch list for the College Football MVP, Davey O'Brien Award for the nation's top quarterback and Walter Camp Award for the National Player of the Year.
Prior to the 2004 college football season, the Manning Award was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only college football quarterback award that includes the candidates' bowl performances in its balloting; therefore, it is presented annually following the completion of the bowl season. The winner is selected by a panel of national media covering college football, as well as each of the Mannings.
Entering the season poised to become the top passer in Penn State history, Hackenberg capped his sophomore season by breaking or tying nine PSU single game bowl records. He has stated all 25 career games under center and enters the season ranked No. 3 in career passing yards (5,932), attempts (876) and completions (501), and is No. 4 in career total offense (5,770). He is one of just eight Nittany Lions to amass over 5,000 passing yards and is the only Penn State signal caller to break the 400-yard mark in a game, throwing for a school-record 454 yards in a victory over UCF at the Croke Park Classic in Dublin. Ireland. In 2014, Hackenberg led the Big Ten with 20.7 completions per game, ranking 23rd nationally, and finished second in the conference and 39th nationally with 2,977 passing yards.
The Nittany Lions now have seven players on 12 different preseason watch lists: Kyle Carter (Mackey Award - Nation's Top Tight End), Christian Hackenberg (Maxwell Award - College Football MVP, Davey O'Brien Award ââ'¬" Nation's Top Quarterback, Walter Camp Award ââ'¬" National Player of the Year, Manning Award ââ'¬" Nation's Top Quarterback), DaeSean Hamilton (Maxwell Award - College Football MVP, Biletnikoff Award ââ'¬" Nation's Top Wide Receiver), Jordan Lucas (Nagurski Trophy - Defensive Player of the Year), Akeel Lynch (Doak Walker Awards ââ'¬" Nation's Top Running Back), Angelo Mangiro (Rimmington Trophy ââ'¬" Nation's Top Center) and Anthony Zettel (Bednarik Award ââ'¬" National Defensive Player of the Year, Nagurski Trophy - Defensive Player of the Year, Outland Trophy - Nation's Top Interior Lineman, Lombardi Award ââ'¬" Nation's Top Lineman or Linebacker).
The Nittany Lions open the 2015 campaign on the road against Temple at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Saturday, September 5 at 3:30 p.m.
Season, partial season and single game tickets for the 2015 campaign are on sale, with more than 4,000 new season tickets having been sold. To purchase tickets or for information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2015 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.