Aug. 13, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Junior Shareef Miller (Philadelphia, Pa.) landed on the Ted Hendricks Award preseason watch list. The award is presented annually to the top defensive end in college football.
The Ted Hendricks Award is named in honor of college football's first three-time first-team All-American. It is in the spirit of Ted Hendricks' aggressive style of play, winning attitude and determination that the Defensive End of the Year Award for college football's premier defensive end is presented. Penn State's lone winner of the Hendricks Award is Carl Nassib in 2015, while Michael Haynes (2002), Tamba Hali (2005), Maurice Evans (2007) and Aaron Maybin (2008) were finalists for the honor.
Miller collected third-team All-Big Ten honors from the media and honorable mention accolades from the league's coaches in 2017. A member of the midseason Bednarik Award watch list in 2017, he led the team with 5.0 sacks and 11.0 tackles for loss. Miller earned a spot on the Pro Football Focus (PFF) Big Ten Team of the Week after registering a pair of tackles and two quarterback hurries against Michigan (10/21). He was also selected to the PFF Big Ten Team of the Week following his two TFL effort against Nebraska (11/18). Miller was ninth on the team with 37 tackles a year ago. He also recorded nine quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and a safety in 2017.
Ten different Nittany Lions have been named to preseason watch lists. They include: junior offensive lineman Ryan Bates â€" Outland Trophy (top interior lineman) senior linebacker Koa Farmer â€" Butkus Award (top linebacker), Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award; junior punter Blake Gillikin â€" Ray Guy Award (nation's top punter); junior tight end Jonathan Holland â€" Mackey Award (most outstanding collegiate tight end); junior center Connor McGovern â€" Rimmington Trophy (nation's top center), Outland Trophy (top interior lineman); senior quarterback Trace McSorley â€" Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback), Wuerffel Trophy (College Football's Premier Award for Community Service); junior defensive end Shareef Miller â€" Bednarik Award (National Defensive Player of the Year), Ted Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end); junior running back Miles Sanders â€" Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back); senior safety Nick Scott â€" Allstate AFCA Good Works Team; head coach James Franklin â€" Bobby Dodd Trophy (nation's top coach).
The Nittany Lions' home schedule features five Big Ten Conference games, including visits from 2017 Big Ten Championship Game participants Ohio State and Wisconsin. The Nittany Lions open the season at home against Appalachian State (Sept. 1; 3:30 p.m.) and host Kent State (Sept. 15; noon) in non-conference action. In Big Ten play, Penn State welcomes Ohio State (Sept. 29), Michigan State (Oct. 13; 3:30/4 p.m.), Iowa (Oct. 27), Wisconsin (Nov. 10) and Maryland (Nov. 24) to Happy Valley.
More than 6,300 new season tickets have been sold for the 2018 season presented by PSECU. The public single game sale takes place beginning June 26. For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.NittanyLionClub.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. or visit the Bryce Jordan Center ticket office weekdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.