Adrian Amos Season 2014

One of the Nittany Lions[apos] defensive stalwarts, the vastly talented and hard-hitting Adrian Amos is doing everything individually and as a team leader he can to help ensure that the team reaches its maximum potential this fall. The senior safety started all 12 games last season and has made 25 career starts, the highest total on the team. Amos should be an all-conference candidate after earning 2013 All-Big Ten honorable-mention accolades. He was named second-team preseason All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele[apos]s College Football Preview. Amos returned to safety this past spring after starting the final six games of last season at cornerback. He brings outstanding athleticism, skills, work-ethic and instincts to the field every day. Recognized as a team leader during off-season workouts, Amos ranked seventh on the team with 50 tackles (32 solo) last season. He also recorded 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks for minus-21 yards, five pass breakups and grabbed one interception. Amos[apos] commitment in the strength and conditioning program has seen him maintain his approximate playing weight from last year, while improving his speed and strength. His :4.45 40-yard time and 35.5-inch vertical jump were among the best on the squad through the spring. A fierce competitor, Amos posted a season-high eight tackles last season in the win over Illinois and tipped an end zone pass that was intercepted to end the game. A former Baltimore prep Defensive Player-of-the-Year, he also made a team-best eight hits in the win over Purdue, recording career-highs with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks against the Boilermakers. Amos and Nittany Lion secondary mates Da[apos]Quan Davis and Trevor Williams all played at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore. They are among seven returning Nittany Lions from Maryland. Amos is on schedule to graduate in December.

2013 - Junior Season
Amos earned the starting nod in all 12 games for the second-straight season, splitting time between safety and cornerback. He has made 25 starts, dating back to the 2011 season, starting the first six contests of the season at safety. Amos attained honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors, ranking seventh on the team with 50 tackles (32 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks for minus-21 yards. He also had five pass breakups and grabbed one interception. Amos made three tackles and had a pass breakup in the season-opening win over Syracuse. He had four tackles against Eastern Michigan and three stops against UCF. In the third quarter at Indiana, Amos grabbed his fourth career interception, leading to a field goal. He also had one tackle and a pass breakup against the Hoosiers. Amos delivered an impressive performance in the four-overtime win over No. 18 Michigan with seven tackles and added four stops with a pass breakup at No. 4 Ohio State. Amos recorded a season-high eight hits and 0.5 TFL in the win over Illinois. He also deflected a pass that led to Ryan Keiser[apos]s game-ending interception in the end zone against the Illini. The play ranked No. 6 on the ESPN SportsCenter Top 10 for Nov. 2. Amos continued his solid play with six tackles (five solo) and added a pass breakup at Minnesota. Amos turned in arguably his best performance of the year with a team and season-high tying eight tackles in the victory over Purdue. He also recorded career-bests with 1.5 sacks for minus-15 yards and 2.5 tackles for loss against the Boilermakers. In the home-finale against Nebraska, Amos posted five tackles, including one sack for a loss of six yards, and a pass breakup. He helped the Nittany Lions hold No. 14 Wisconsin to 120 rushing yards, nearly 180 below its season average, in a huge 31-24 road win to end the season.

2012 - Sophomore Season
Amos started all 12 games at cornerback, playing in every contest for the second consecutive year. He was selected honorable-mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media. Amos was eighth on the team with 44 tackles (31 solo) and was tied for second with two interceptions. He also recorded 2.5 tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and three pass breakups. He played an instrumental role for a defense that ranked second in the Big Ten and No. 16 nationally in scoring defense at 19.1 ppg, holding six teams to 17 or fewer points. Amos recorded a career-high 10 tackles in the season-opener with Ohio. He made six stops (five solo) at Virginia, including a tackle for loss. Amos recorded three solo hits in the 34-7 win over Navy to help Bill O[apos]Brien post his first career head coaching victory and made three tackles and added 0.5 TFL in the 35-7 Big Ten-opening victory at Illinois. Amos grabbed his first interception of the season, inside Ohio State territory, registered five tackles and had a pass breakup against the Buckeyes. He made five hits (four solo) in the 34-9 win at Purdue and had four solo tackles, with one TFL, and a pass breakup at No. 18 Nebraska. In the 45-22 win over Indiana, Amos made four tackles, had a pass breakup and grabbed a fourth-quarter interception inside the Penn State 10-yard line and returned it 54 yards.

2011 - Freshman Season
Amos appeared in every game at cornerback and on special teams, making one start. He totaled 13 tackles, one interception, four pass breakups and five passes defended. He was one of four true freshmen to see action. In his first career game as a Nittany Lion, Amos made two tackles and returned an interception 46 yards against Indiana State. His pick came in the fourth quarter and set up an eventual Shane McGregor touchdown run to give Penn State a 41-0 lead. Amos made two tackles against Eastern Michigan and two tackles and two pass breakups in the Big Ten-opening win at Indiana. He made his first career start in the win over Iowa and recorded two tackles and one pass breakup. In a strong second-half effort in the victory at Northwestern, Amos posted two tackles and a pass breakup. He also recorded two tackles against Houston in the TicketCity Bowl. Amos logged a total of 301 plays in 2011, including a career-high 70 against Iowa in his first career start.

High School
Amos led Calvert Hall College High School to the MIAA Class A Conference Championship and the No. 1 state ranking. As a senior for coach Donald Davis, Amos recorded 78 tackles and four interceptions, while forcing three fumbles as a safety. He was named all-met and was the Baltimore City Defensive Player-of-the-Year.

Personal
Full name is Adrian Gerald Amos Jr. He is majoring in recreation, parks and tourism management and is on schedule to graduate in December. Born April 29, 1993.