Senior quarterback Trace McSorley (Ashburn, Va.) added to his list awards list with semifinalist selections for the Walter Camp Player of the Year Award and the Jason Witten Man of the Year honor.
The Walter Camp Trophy is awarded to the outstanding player of the year who has exemplified the qualities of self-discipline, unselfish team play, desire to excel, mature judgement and respect for leadership. He must be a dedicated competitor who has made effective use of his athletic talent to enhance the great American game of college football. His standout performance on the playing field must be accompanied by an equally strong effort to contribute to the betterment of the life of all his fellow human beings. He must exhibit an awareness of the need to fulfill his role as a leader. He must espouse the ideals adhered to by Walter Camp, the "Father of American Football."
The Walter Camp Player of the Year is voted on by the 130 Football Bowl Subdivision head coaches and sports information directors. A list of five finalists will be announced on Wednesday, November 28, and the winner broadcast live on ESPN SportsCenter on Thursday, December 7. Penn State has two Walter Camp winners in running back John Cappelletti, who won the award in 1973, and tailback Larry Johnson, who claimed the honor in 2002.
The Jason Witten Man of the Year presented by Albertsons and Tom Thumb, is the first college football honor to focus primarily on a player's leadership, both on and off the field. Leadership is a term synonymous with Jason Witten, who, in addition to becoming one of the best tight ends in the history of the sport and the Cowboys' all-time leading receiver, served as one of football's most prominent role models during his 15-year pro career. In addition to winning the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2012, Witten also received the Bart Starr Award, Pro Football Weekly's Humanitarian of the Year Award, Home Depot NFL Neighborhood MVP and the Bob Lilly Award, among many others. All of those honors have recognized his work in the community, achievements on the field and dedication to his teammates and family.
Previously, McSorley was announced as a National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete, a finalist for the Ninth Annual Pop Warner National College Football Award and the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award® Presented by A.O. Smith, and a semifinalist for the Maxwell Award for the Collegiate Player of the Year.
McSorley owns the Penn State career records for: passing yards (9,240), passing touchdowns (72), total offense (10,759), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (27), touchdowns responsible for (99), 300-yard passing games (10) and 200-yard passing games (26). He is also the school season record holder for: passing yards (3,614; 2016), completions (284; 2017), passing touchdowns (29; 2016), rushing touchdowns by a quarterback (11; 2017), total offense (4,061; 2017), touchdowns responsible for (37; 2017), 300-yard passing games (5; 2016, 2017) and is tied for the top spot in 200-yard passing games (11; 2016, 2017). McSorley threw at least one touchdown pass in 34-straight games, from the 2016 TaxSlayer Bowl until the Indiana game in 2018, a Penn State record and the fifth-longest in FBS Power Five history. In the win over Indiana, McSorley became the first Penn State player and 11th in Big Ten history to eclipse the 10,000-yard mark in total offense. He also ranks third in Big Ten history with 99 touchdowns responsible for behind only Ohio State's JT Barrett (147; 2014-17) and Purdue's Drew Brees (106; 1997-00).
Against Ohio State in September, McSorley established a Nittany Lion record with 461 total yards against Ohio State (9/29/18), including 286 passing and 175 rushing. McSorley ranks No. 4 in the Big Ten and No. 34 in the FBS in passing yards per completion (12.82). McSorley is also among the conference's top rushers, ranking No. 13 in the Big Ten, and first among quarterbacks, with 620 rushing yards, while ranking third in the conference with nine rushing touchdowns, which is 36th in the FBS. McSorley is No. 5 in the Big Ten and No. 45 in FBS with 246,1 total yards per game, as well as No. 3 in the conference and No. 39 nationally with 13.2 points responsible for per game.
A limited number of single game tickets for the 2018 season presented by PSECU are available for Maryland. Verified resale tickets are available for all remaining home games via ticketmaster.com. 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.
