UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State redshirt sophomore defensive end Jayson Oweh and redshirt senior defensive end Shaka Toney highlighted Penn State's nine All-Big Ten honorees on defense as they were both named All-Big Ten first-team selections on Wednesday.
Penn State's All-Big Ten honorees on defense were as follows:
Shaka Toney
First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)
Jayson Oweh
First Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), Second Team All-Big Ten (Media)
Jaquan Brisker
Third Team All-Big Ten (Coaches), Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Media)
Joey Porter Jr.
Third Team All-Big Ten (Media), Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches)
Lamont Wade
Third Team All-Big Ten (Media), Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches)
Tariq Castro-Fields
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)
PJ Mustipher
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)
Antonio Shelton
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)
Brandon Smith
Honorable Mention All-Big Ten (Coaches & Media)
Oweh and Toney are Penn State's first defensive end duo to both earn first team honors since Courtney Brown and Brad Scioli in 1998. Oweh and Toney are tied for the team lead with 6.5 tackles for loss this season. Oweh ranks fourth on the team with 38 tackles, while Toney owns 25 stops. Toney paces the squad with four sacks.
Oweh is averaging 5.4 tackles per game, which ranks eighth nationally among defensive linemen who have played at least seven games. His 38 tackles through the first seven games were the most by a Penn State defensive lineman since Daquan Jones and Austin Johnson had 40 tackles in 2013 and 2015, respectively. Oweh posted a career-high 10 tackles against Maryland. Oweh recorded two tackles for loss against the Terrapins and 1.5 tackles for loss in each game against Nebraska and Iowa.
Toney, a member of the Bronco Nagurski Award Watch List, had two sacks in each game against Indiana and Iowa, registering both of his sacks against the Hoosiers in the fourth quarter. He also forced a fumble on a strip-sack against Iowa. Toney has recorded two or more tackles for loss seven times in his career and five career games with two or more sacks. He sits 10th all-time at Penn State with 19.5 career sacks and owns 28.5 career tackles for loss. Toney was an All-Big Ten second team selection by the coaches in 2019. Toney has served as a team captain for the 2020 season. He has accepted an invitation to play in the 2021 Senior Bowl.
Brisker sits third on the Nittany Lions with 50 tackles, including a team-best 29 solo. Brisker exceled in his role as a starting safety, compiling three tackles for loss, a team-high five pass breakups and an interception. Against Michigan State, Brisker notched career highs with nine tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss, while recording his third career interception. Brisker has made at least four tackles in each of the last seven games.
Porter has impressed in his first year as a starting cornerback for the Nittany Lions. He leads PSU cornerbacks with 33 tackles, including two for loss and a sack. He also has four pass breakups. Porter registered his first career sack in the season opener at Indiana. Porter earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors following his performance at Rutgers where he collected a career-high six tackles, four solo, and a tackle for loss.
Wade, a member of the Jim Thorpe Award Watch List, ranks fifth on the team with 36 tackles. He added two fumble recoveries and an interception in 2020. His two fumble recoveries rank third in the Big Ten and ninth in the nation. Wade recorded 10 tackles against Iowa, his third career game with double-digit tackles, and recovered a fumble. He scooped up a fumble and picked off a pass at Indiana. Wade was voted to be a team captain in 2020. He was selected for the 2021 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Castro-Fields has 12 tackles and a pass breakup in six starts this season. He collected five tackles, including four solo, and a pass breakup at Indiana. Castro-Fields notched six tackles against Maryland. In his Nittany Lion career, Castro-Fields has tallied 106 tackles, 10 tackles for loss, a sack, a forced fumble, three interceptions and 19 pass breakups. He was voted All-Big Ten third team by the media in 2019.
Mustipher owns 32 tackles, including 11 solo this season, and a pass breakup. The junior registered a career-high eight tackles against Ohio State. He was tabbed as the Coaching Staff's Defensive Player ofthe Week following his performance against Maryland where he recorded four tackles, a pass breakup and a QB hurry. Mustipher also had seven tackles against Iowa.
Shelton has collected 12 tackles this season. He has 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks and a pass breakup. The redshirt senior set a career high with 1.5 sacks against Michigan State and matched a career high with three tackles. Shelton had a solo tackle for loss at Indiana and a solo sack against Ohio State.
Smith has posted 29 tackles, five tackles for loss, two sacks, an interception and a pass breakup in his first season as a starting linebacker. At Nebraska, Smith recorded a career-best six tackles and his first career interception. He collected five tackles, including a career-high 1.5 for loss, against Ohio State. Smith contributed five tackles and a solo sack against Maryland.
The Big will announce special teams honorees on Thursday.
The 2020 Penn State Football Season is presented by PSECU.
