2018 • SENIOR SEASON
Awards: Won the Ridge Riley Memorial Award, for sportsmanship, scholarship, leadership and friendship at the team's awards banquet...Among the candidates on the preseason watch list for the Butkus Award, given to the nation's top linebacker.
Season: Made 13 starts....One of 22 players to have earned their degree entering the 2019 Citrus Bowl...Completed degrees in criminology and sociology in December 2017.
Appalachian State (9/1): Recorded six tackles, four solo...Added a tackle for loss. at Pittsburgh (9/8): Assisted on a tackle. at Illinois (9/21): Made three stops. Ohio State (9/29): Matched a career high with eight tackles...Assisted on a tackle for loss. Michigan State (10/13): Tallied six stops...Added a pass breakup. at Indiana (10/20): Posted seven tackles, including four solo. Iowa (10/27): Collected five tackles...Forced a fumble for the second time in his career. at Michigan (11/3): Registered four tackles, all solo stops. Wisconsin (11/10): Made one solo tackle. at Rutgers (11/17): Tied a career high with eight tackles...Made one tackle for loss and broke up a pass. Maryland (11/24): Recorded two solo tackles. vs. Kentucky (1/1): Registered two tackles.
2017 • JUNIOR SEASON
Awards: Named to the watch list for the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award.
Season: Started all 13 games.
Akron (9/2): Made two stops, both coming in the first half...Combined with Brandon Smith on a second-quarter tackle for loss...Part of a defense that logged 14.0 tackles for loss, the most since recording 15.0 vs. Temple in 2015...Part of a defense that posted a Season-opening shutout for the first time since 2007 (FIU, 59-0). Pittsburgh (9/9): Logged a career-high eight stops to tie with Jason Cabinda and Nick Scott for No. 2 on the team...Added 1.5 tackles for loss, including a solo takedown of Pittsburgh quarterback Ben DiNucci on third-and-goal in the fourth quarter...Combined with Torrence Brown on a first-quarter tackle for loss...Part of a defense that piled up five sacks, its most since logging six vs. No. 2 Ohio State in 2016 (10/22/16). Georgia State (9/16): Made one tackle...Part of a unit that posted its second shutout of the Season, marking the first time since 2009 a Nittany Lion defense posted two shutouts in a single Season. at Iowa (9/23): Had two assisted tackles...Combined with Jason Cabinda on a second-quarter tackle for loss. Indiana (9/30): Totaled four tackles...Added one quarterback hurry. at Northwestern (10/7): Tallied four tackles – all solo...Had a second-quarter solo tackle for loss...Recovered Northwestern’s on-side kick attempt with 1:45 to play in the fourth quarter. Michigan (10/21): Ranked second on the team with seven tackles...Part of a defense that held the Wolverines scoreless over the final 40:03 of the game. at Ohio State (10/28): Totaled seven tackles, including a career-high 2.0 tackles for loss...Recovered a first-quarter fumble and returned it 26 yards to set up Penn State’s second touchdown of the game...Returned two kickoffs for 70 yards, including a career-long 59-yarder in the second quarter. at Michigan State (11/4): Posted a career-high-tying eight tackles...Had one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry. Rutgers (11/11): Made one tackle...Added one pass breakup...Part of a defense that allowed just 43 passing yards, the fewest in a game since giving up 32 vs. Army (2015)...The 43 passing yards are the fewest allowed by Penn State in Big Ten play...Held Rutgers to just seven pass completions, the second-fewest allowed by the Nittany Lions in a Big Ten game. Nebraska (11/18): Had one tackle...Returned two kickoffs for 22 yards, including a long of 12 yards. at Maryland (11/25): Made one tackle...Part of a defense that held the Terps scoreless in the first half, marking the seventh time in 2017 the Nittany Lion defense held an opponent scoreless in at least one half. vs. Washington (12/30): Had two stops.
2016 • SOPHOMORE SEASON
Awards: Named to the Pro Football FocusNational Team of the Week following his performance at Purdue (10/29)...Was presented with the 2017 Jim O’Hora Award, which is awarded annually to a defensive player for “exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude and improvement” during spring practice.
Season: Appeared in all 14 games with two starts...Moved from safety to linebacker following the Temple game...Made his first career start vs. Maryland (10/8) at linebacker and his second in a homecoming game vs. USC in the Rose Bowl Game (1/2)...One of 18 first-time starters in 2016.
Kent State (9/3): Made his first career tackle in the fourth quarter, a combined stop with Jason Cabinda. at Michigan (9/24): Made three tackles. Minnesota (10/1): Had three tackles...Made his first career tackle for loss on a combined stop with Shareef Miller. Maryland (10/8): Notched a Season-high five tackles...Logged his first career sack and forced fumble on the same play in the second quarter...Combined with Brandon Smith on a third-quarter TFL to give him a Season-high 1.5 tackles for loss on the day...Part of a defense that allowed 11 first downs...Helped limit Maryland to 14 points – all in the first half – 170 rushing yards and 270 yards of total offense, after the Terps entered averaging 43.2 points, 300.0 rushing and 466.2 yards of total offense per game. Ohio State (10/22): Made two tackles, one on special teams and one on defense. at Purdue (10/29): Made three stops...Added his first career pass breakup in the second quarter...Returned one kickoff for 3 yards. Iowa (11/5): Totaled three stops, including a fourth-quarter sack of C.J. Beathard on third-and-2. at Indiana (11/12): Had three tackles. at Rutgers (11/19): Made one stop, a combined tackle for loss with Parker Cothren in the second quarter...Aided the Nittany Lions in compiling nine tackles for loss, the eighth time in 2016 Penn State's defense recorded at least 9.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage. Michigan State (11/26): Made two tackles. vs. Wisconsin (12/3): Recorded a fourth-quarter sack of Bart Houston for his lone stop. vs. USC (1/2): Posted two stops in a game played less than 20 miles from his hometown.
2015 • REDSHIRT FRESHMAN SEASON
Season: Appeared in 12 games...Was one of 17 redshirt freshmen to see action.
at Temple (9/5): Returned five kickoffs for 128 yards...Led the team with 128 all-purpose yards...Posted four kickoff returns of 20-plus yards, including a long return of 35 yards on his first career return. San Diego State (9/26): Returned one kickoff for 26 yards. Army (10/3): Returned one kickoff for 14 yards. Illinois (10/31): Returned one kickoff for a Season-long 57 yards...Was the coaching staff’s co-Special Teams Player of the Week with Nick Scott. at Northwestern (11/7): Returned two kickoffs for 56 yards, including a long of 37 yards in the second quarter. Michigan (11/21): Returned four kickoffs for an average of 15.2 yards, including a long of 20 yards. at Michigan State (11/28): Returned four kickoffs for an average of 15.7 yards...Had a long return of 31 yards in the second quarter.
2014 • TRUE FRESHMAN SEASON
Redshirt Season.
HIGH SCHOOL
A three-year letterman for head coach Kevin Rooney at Notre Dame High School...Totaled 38 receptions for 487 yards, rushed for 483 yards and scored 18 total touchdowns, playing wide receiver, running back and quarterback as a senior...Recorded 62 tackles, four interceptions, two sacks and three forced fumbles from his safety position as a senior...Earned all-state, CIF All-Section, All-Serra League and Serra League MVP distinction during his final prep Season...Was chosen as the Daily News All-Area Defensive Player of the Year and was a MaxPreps.comsecond-team all-state pick as a senior...Was an All-Serra League selection during his junior campaign after making 28 catches for 502 yards and five touchdowns, and adding three interceptions on defense...Rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals and 247Sports and a three-star recruit by ESPN and Scout...Ranked among the top 30 players in California and was among the Top 50 nationally at three positions – linebacker (43rd; Scout), athlete (21st; Rivals) and safety (38th; 247Sports)...Was a four-year letterman in track...Helped the Knights win the 2012 CIF State Track & Field Championship...Lettered in basketball as a sophomore...Was a three-time recipient of the school’s Student-Athlete of the Year award and earned cum laude honors as a junior and senior...Received Academic All-Serra League honors all four years...Was named to the CIF Honor Roll.
PERSONAL
Full name is Joshua-Kekoa Jamal Farmer...Son of Jamal and Shirley Farmer...Has one younger sister, Ka’ena...Father played football at Hawaii and Cal State Northridge...Father was the Western Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year in 1989 and set the then-NCAA freshman scoring record with 18 rushing touchdowns...Enjoys boogie boarding...Graduated in December 2017 with degrees in criminology and sociology...Working on a third undergraduate degree in journalism...Would like to pursue a career as a pathologist...Born February 21, 1996 in Glendale, California.