Nov. 29, 2015
BTN.com All-Big Ten Team & Award Winners
UNIVERSITY PARK, PA. - BTN.com has selected Penn State senior defensive end Carl Nassib (West Chester, Pa.) as the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and running back Saquon Barkley (Coplay, Pa.) as the Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Additionally, Nassib and junior defensive tackle Austin Johnson (Galloway, N.J.) have been named to the BTN.com's All-Big Ten team.
Nassib is a finalist for a quartet of national awards - Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman or linebacker), Nagurski Trophy (nation's top defensive player), Bednarik Award (nation's top defensive player) and Burlsworth Trophy (top player that started his career as a walk-on). Despite playing only six snaps in the last two games due to injury, Nassib leads FBS in sacks (15.5) and forced fumbles (6) and is second in FBS and first in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (19.5). With one sack at Northwestern, Nassib broke the Penn State single-season sacks record by upping his total to 15.5. He surpasses the mark of 15 sacks set by Larry Kubin (1979) and Michael Haynes (2002).
Barkley broke the Penn State freshman season rushing record with 1,007 yards, surpassing the mark of 1,002 set by D.J. Dozier in 1983. Barkley has five 100-yard rushing performances on the season after clicking off 103 yards at Michigan State yesterday. Barkley ranks 28th in FBS in rushing yards per carry (6.1) and 31st in rushing yards per game (100.7). He is 18th in the country in rushes of 30 or more yards (6). Barkley leads the Big Ten and is tied for 15th in FBS in 20-plus yard rushing plays (13). His seven rushing touchdowns are tied with Dozier by the most by a Penn State true freshman.
Johnson has been a force up front for the Nittany Lions with 70 tackles, which is third on the team. He also has 5.5 sacks and 13.0 tackles for loss this season. His 70 stops are third among defensive tackles in FBS. Johnson has the most tackles by a Penn State defensive lineman since Cameron Wake had 71 stops in 2003. Johnson has four outings this season with at least nine tackles. Johnson is also second on the team with 13.0 tackles for loss. He registered his first career touchdown with a 71-yard fumble return. The fumble recovery was the fourth of his career and Penn State's first fumble recovery for a touchdown since Mike Hull's 74-yard return vs. Navy in 2012. He tallied a career-high 10 tackles, including eight solo stops, at Northwestern. He also had a sack and two tackles for loss against the Wildcats.
The Nittany Lions are bowl eligible for the 46th time. Penn State's 45 bowl appearances are the ninth-most among FBS schools at the start of the season. The announcement of the bowl game and opponent will be announced Sunday, Dec. 6. Fans can visit Penn State's Bowl Central at GoPSUsports.com/bowlcentral for more information.