Aug. 14, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior quarterback Trace McSorley (Ashburn, Va.) is among the candidates for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award for the nation's top quarterback who is a fourth-year junior on pace to graduate with his class or a senior. This is McSorley's fifth preseason watch list selection this summer. He is also a nominee for the Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Walter Camp Award (National Player of the Year), Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback) and Wuerffel Trophy (College Football's Premier Award for Community Service).
The Golden Arm Award is presented at the end of each football season and the winner is selected based on his accomplishments both on and off the field. Candidates must be a college senior or fourth-year junior on schedule to graduate with their class. The Golden Arm Award is named in honor of Johnny Unitas, who was an 18-year veteran of the NFL and played his collegiate career at the University of Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts in 1958. His career passing figures include 2,830 pass completions for 40,239 yards, 290 touchdowns and throwing a touchdown pass in 47 consecutive games.
McSorley, who is a two-time captain, enters his final season in the Blue & White having thrown a touchdown pass in 28-straight games, the longest active streak in FBS. He holds the Penn State career records for completion percentage (61.8), passing efficiency (152.9), passing touchdowns (59) and total offense (8,268). He also owns the Penn State season marks for passing yards (3,614; 2016), completions (284; 2017), passing touchdowns (29; 2016), total offense (4,061; 2017), 300-yard passing games (5; 2016 and 2017), 200-yard passing games (11; 2016 and 2017) and touchdowns responsible for (37; 2017). In 2017, McSorley became just the second player in Big Ten history to have 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing scores in the same season, joining Ohio State's J.T. Barrett (2014 and 2017). He is also one of seven players in Big Ten history to record back-to-back 3,000-yard passing seasons. Last season, McSorley earned his second consecutive berth on the All-Big Ten second team as selected by the coaches and media. McSorley was a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Manning Award in 2017.
Ten different Nittany Lions have been named to preseason watch lists. They include: junior offensive lineman Ryan Bates - Outland Trophy (top interior lineman) senior linebacker Koa Farmer - Butkus Award (top linebacker), Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award; junior punter Blake Gillikin - Ray Guy Award (nation's top punter); junior tight end Jonathan Holland - Mackey Award (most outstanding collegiate tight end); junior center Connor McGovern - Rimmington Trophy (nation's top center), Outland Trophy (top interior lineman); senior quarterback Trace McSorley - Maxwell Award (National Player of the Year), Davey O'Brien Award (nation's top quarterback), Walter Camp Award (National Player of the Year), Wuerffel Trophy (College Football's Premier Award for Community Service), Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award (top quarterback in who is a redshirt junior or senior); junior defensive end Shareef Miller - Bednarik Award (National Defensive Player of the Year), Ted Hendricks Award (nation's top defensive end); junior running back Miles Sanders - Doak Walker Award (nation's top running back); senior safety Nick Scott - Allstate AFCA Good Works Team; head coach James Franklin - 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.