Aug. 9, 2018
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Senior linebacker Koa Farmer (Lake View Terrace, Calif.) is on the watch list for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. The award is presented annually to the most outstanding Polynesian college football player that epitomizes great ability and integrity.
Farmer, the lone Nittany Lion hailing from California and the West Coast, started all 13 games last season and set career highs with 48 tackles and 5.5 tackles for loss. Highlights from the 2017 season, which was his first in a starting role, included logging a career-high eight tackles and a third-and-goal, fourth-quarter sack against Pittsburgh, recovering a fumble and making a career-high 2.0 stops behind the line at Ohio State and another 8-tackle performance at Michigan State. Farmer transitioned from safety to linebacker early in the 2016 season as a sophomore and served as a kick returner as a redshirt freshman in 2015. He has completed degrees in criminology and sociology and is working on a third degree in journalism.
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); 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.