Aug. 16, 2017
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior quarterback Trace McSorley (Ashburn, Va.) claimed a spot on the Manning Award watch list. This is McSorley's sixth watch list appearance (Maxwell Award, Wuerffel Trophy, O'Brien Award, Walter Camp Award and Unitas Golden Arm Award) this summer.
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.
McSorley was also a second-team All-Big Ten choice by the conference's coaches and media, while also being named the Big Ten's Breakout Player of the Year by Athlon Sports and the Maxwell Football Club's Bryan Westbrook Tri-State Player of the Year. He earned the Grange-Griffin Most Valuable Player award as MVP of the Big Ten Championship game after throwing for a Big Ten Championship game-record 384 yards and four touchdowns. McSorley turned in one of the top quarterback campaigns in program history, breaking the Penn State season record for passing yards (3,614), passing touchdowns (29) and total offense records (3,979). McSorley threw TD passes to 10 different receivers, marking the first time since 1971 a Penn State quarterback found 10-plus pass catchers for scores. He has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 15 consecutive games.
Nine different Nittany Lions have been named to preseason watch lists. They include: junior running back Saquon Barkley ââ'¬" Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back); junior quarterback, Walter Camp Award (National Player of the Year) Trace McSorley ââ'¬" Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Wuerffel Trophy (college football's premier award for community service), Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (nation's top quarterback based on his accomplishments on and off the field), Walter Camp Award (National Player of the Year), Manning Award (nation's top quarterback); senior safety Marcus Allen ââ'¬" Lott IMPACT Trophy (National Defensive of the Year on and off the field), Bednarik Award (National Defensive of the Year), Nagurski Trophy (National Defensive of the Year), Jim Thorpe Award (top defensive back); senior linebacker Jason Cabinda ââ'¬" Lott IMPACT Trophy (National Defensive of the Year on and off the field), Bednarik Award (National Defensive of the Year), Nagurski Trophy (National Defensive of the Year), Butkus Award (top linebacker); senior tight end Mike Gesicki ââ'¬"Mackey Award (top tight end); senior linebacker Brandon Smith ââ'¬" Allstate AFCA Good Works; senior kicker Tyler Davis ââ'¬" Lou Groza Award (top kicker); sophomore punter Blake Gillikin ââ'¬" Ray Guy Award (top punter); head coach James Franklin ââ'¬" Bobby Dodd Trophy (nation's top coach).
The Nittany Lions' home schedule features a trio of non-conference games, including Pitt's first visit to Beaver Stadium since 1999. The Nittany Lions open the season against Akron (Sept. 2; noon) and face Pitt (Sept. 9; 3:30 p.m.) and Georgia State (Sept. 16) in a three-game homestand to start the year. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Indiana (Sept. 30), Michigan (Oct. 21), Rutgers (Nov. 11; noon - Homecoming) and Nebraska (Nov. 18) to Happy Valley.
Single-game tickets for the 2017 Penn State football season presented by PSECU are available for five home games (Akron, Georgia State, Indiana, Rutgers, Nebraska). For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing new 2017 season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 9 a.m-4:30 p.m. More than 9,000 new season tickets have been sold and the season ticket allotment for 2017 has been exhausted.