UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu has been named the Outland Trophy National Player of the Week, it was announced by the Football Writers Association of America on Tuesday.
The Outland Trophy, celebrating 78 years since its founding, is the third-oldest major college football award. The award is given annually given to the best interior lineman in college football.
Penn State's Offensive Notes From Week 4
- Penn State has recorded at least 30 points in 11-straight games, which is the longest active streak in the nation.
- It marks the fifth time in Big Ten history a team has strung together 11 or more games of 30+ points. The only other time Penn State went 11-straight games with 30+ points in program history was 1993-94, when it scored 30+ points in a school-record 15-straight games.
- Dating back to the Rutgers game in 2022, Penn State has scored in 28-straight quarters, the longest active streak in the nation.
- Penn State has not committed a turnover this season. Penn State is the only team in the FBS who has not turned the ball over this year.
- Penn State scored on drives of 17, 10 15 and 12 plays. The last time Penn State had four scoring drives of 10+ plays was against Ohio State in 2021.
- The Nittany Lions held the ball for 13:26 of the third quarter and finished the game with 45:27 of possession.
- Penn State rushed for 215 yards. The Nittany Lions have surpassed 200 rushing yards on 40 occasions in the James Franklin era. Penn State is 35-5 in those games.
- The Nittany Lions scored 17 points off turnovers. Entering the game, Penn State averaged a nation-best 9.69 points off turnovers over the last two seasons.
Fashanu's 2023 Bio
Awards: Weekly: Tabbed Outland Trophy National Player of the Week (9/26). Preseason: Named an Associated Press, Sporting News and PFF preseason first-team All-American...Earned a spot on the William V. Campbell Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year, Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy and Reese's Senior Bowl watch lists.
Season: Has started all four games at left tackle...Owns a 91.0 pass blocking grade according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and has allowed one pressure on 120 pass protection snaps...Named a team captain at the conclusion of spring practice.
West Virginia (9/2): Allowed zero pressures on 31 pass protection snaps...Helped lead the Penn State offense to 478 total yards in the victory...Helped Drew Allar set career high marks in touchdown passes (3), passing yards (325), completions (21) and attempts (29). Delaware (9/9): Did not allow a pressure in 12 pass protection snaps...Penn State tallied 541 total yards on offense, including 315 yards on the ground...The Nittany Lions ran 91 offensive plays and held the ball for a time of possession of 42:22...Kaytron Allen rushed for 103 yards on 19 carries and touchdown, while Nicholas Singleton scored three touchdowns on the ground. at Illinois (9/16): Helped the Penn State offense score 20 points off turnovers...Allen and Singleton each accounted for rushing touchdowns, while Trey Potts threw a touchdown to Tyler Warren. Iowa (9/23): Helped Penn State scored on drives of 17, 10 15 and 12 plays...The Nittany Lions held the ball for 13:26 of the third quarter and finished the game with 45:27 of possession...Helped PSU rush for 215 yards.
The recipient of the 2023 Outland Trophy will be announced on The Home Depot College Football Awards, live on ESPN on Dec. 7 or 8. The official presentation to the winner will be made at the Outland Trophy Awards Dinner sponsored by Werner Enterprises and produced by the Greater Omaha Sports Committee in Omaha, Neb., on Jan. 11, 2024.
The Nittany Lions have a former Outland Trophy winner in defensive tackle Mike Reid in 1969. The last offensive lineman to earn FWAA All-America honors was center A.Q. Shipley in 2008. The Nittany Lions have had an FWAA All-American in eight of the past 10 seasons, but Shipley is the lone PSU offensive lineman to make the postseason team of the past 36 seasons.
The Outland Trophy is a member of the National College Football Awards Association. Founded in 1997, the NCFAA includes college football's most prestigious awards and its 24 awards have honored more than 900 recipients dating back to 1935. This season, 12 NCFAA awards will honor national players of the week each Tuesday. For more information about the NCFAA and its award programs, visit the redesigned NCFAA.org or follow on Twitter at @NCFAA.
Penn State travels to Northwestern on Saturday for a noon ET game on the Big Ten Network.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and ticket information for the 2023 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.