➤ Career Notes & Records
Career: Finished his career No. 9 on the Penn State career tackles chart with 286 stops...Owned nine career double-digit tackle games (three in 2015, three in 2016, three in 2017).
 
 
➤ 2017 ➤ Senior Season
Awards: Garnered second-team All-America honors from SB Nation...Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and honorable mention laurels from the conference's media voters...Named third-team All-Big Ten from Phil Steele...Selected first-team All-ECAC at linebacker...Earned Big Ten Co-Defensive Player of the Week (Bachie, MSU) and Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week after 12 tackles, a half-sack and a forced fumble vs. Michigan (10/21)...Selected as a quarterfinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy...Was the Lott IMPACT Trophy Player of the Week on Oct. 2 after producing a career-high-tying 14 tackles vs. Indiana...Earned Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week following his effort vs. Indiana (9/30)...Selected to the preseason watch list for the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy and Nagurski Trophy...Earned the Captain's Award and Lions Pride Outstanding Senior Award at the annual team banquet...Selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
Season: Started all 13 games...Selected team captain prior to the season.
Rankings: Finished tied for No. 19 in the Big Ten in tackles per game (6.8).
Akron (9/2): Made three tackles, all coming in the first half...One of eight players to be a part of three-straight seasons with a shutout (Illinois, 2015; at Rutgers, 2016; Akron, 2017), marking the longest such streak since a three-year span from 1989-91...Part of a defense that logged a season-opening shutout for the first time since 2007 (FIU, 59-0). Pittsburgh (9/9): Logged eight tackles to tie for second on the team with Koa Farmer and Nick Scott. Georgia State (9/16): Made four tackles - three solo...A 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): Made a team-best six tackles...Had 1.5 tackles for loss...Combined with Koa Farmer on a second-quarter tackle for loss...Made a solo stop behind the line of scrimmage in the third quarter. Indiana (9/30): Made a career-high-tying 14 tackles (Army, 2015)...Logged six solo tackles...Added one sack and 1.5 tackles for loss...Posted Penn State's lone sack in the first quarter with a solo takedown of Richard Lagow...Combined with Marcus Allen on a second-quarter tackle for loss...Recovered Penn State's first fumble of the game, which was forced by Christian Campbell, and returned it 4 yards...Selected as the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Week. at Northwestern (10/7): Made five stops, all coming in the first half. Michigan (10/21): Led all defenders with 12 tackles...Forced his second career fumble in the third quarter on a John O'Korn rush...Combined with Ryan Buchholz on a third-quarter sack of O'Korn...Part of a defense that held the Wolverines scoreless over the final 40:03 of the game. at Ohio State (10/28): Made seven tackles, including a combined tackle for loss with Shareef Miller in the first quarter. at Michigan State (11/4): Had four stops. Rutgers (11/11): Totaled a game-high 11 tackles...Registered a third-quarter tackle for loss on fourth-and-2 near midfield to give Penn State the ball in plus territory...Added one pass breakup and one quarterback hurry...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): Chipped in six stops...Tallied a career-high-tying two pass breakups...Named the coaching staff's Co-Defensive Player of the Week, along with Shareef Miller. at Maryland (11/25): Made four tackles, including three solo...Sacked Maryland quarterback Max Bortenschlager in the first quarter, forcing a fumble which was recovered by Maryland on a third-down play...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): Totaled four tackles...Combined with Brandon Smith on a first-quarter tackle for loss.
➤ 2016 ➤ Junior Season
Awards: Named All-Big Ten third team by the conference coaches...Selected All-Big Ten honorable mention by the media panel...Selected to the Bednarik Award, Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy Preseason Watch Lists...Awarded a Helmet Sticker by ESPN's "College Football Final" following 13-tackle effort vs. Ohio State (10/22)...Named to the Pro Football Focus Big Ten Team of the Week after his showing at Rutgers (11/19).
Season: Started nine games...Posted eight-or-more tackles in eight of the nine games he played in 2016...Logged eight-or-more stops in 11 of his last 13 games dating back to 2015.
Kent State (9/3): Made a team-high 11 tackles for his fourth career double-digit tackle game. Ohio State (10/22): Returned after missing five games to make 13 tackles, including a career-high-tying 2.0 tackles for loss...His fourth-quarter takedown of J.T. Barrett for a loss of 13 yards to force fourth-and-23 on the Buckeyes final drive...Broke up one pass...Helped the defense hold Ohio State scoreless in two quarters for the first time since Michigan State in 2015, which was Ohio State’s last loss...Helped the defense to a season-high 11.0 tackles for loss, the most TFLs since posting 11.0 vs. Maryland in 2015...The 11.0 tackles for loss were the most yielded by the Buckeyes since giving up 11.0 vs. Alabama (2015)...The 6.0 sacks given up by Ohio State are the most since yielding 7.0 against Virginia Tech (2014). at Purdue (10/29): Boasted a game-high nine tackles - six solo...Helped the defense hold Purdue to just 46 yards rushing, the second opponent held under 50 yards rushing in 2016. Iowa (11/5): Posted nine tackles...Made a leaping stop of C.J. Beathard to end Iowa’s opening drive on a fourth-and-1 attempt, combining with Brandon Bell on the stop...Helped the defense hold Iowa to just 30 yards rushing, which was 137.9 yards below the Hawkeyes’ season average (167.9 ypg) entering the game...It was the fewest rushing yards allowed by Penn State since holding UMass to three yards in 2014...It marked the first time Penn State held consecutive opponents to 46 yards rushing or fewer since 2007 (Notre Dame, zero yards; FIU, minus-3 yards)...It was the first time since Penn State joined the Big Ten that it held consecutive conference opponents to 50 yards or less of rushing. at Indiana (11/12): Totaled nine tackles, including eight solo...Had a solo tackle for loss in the third quarter. at Rutgers (11/19): Had three solo stops and a career-high two pass breakups...Helped hold Rutgers to just 87 yards of total offense, the fewest given up by Penn State in its Big Ten history and the fewest since 2006 vs. Temple (74)...The five first downs allowed are the fewest in B1G play in Penn State history and fewest since 2006 vs. Temple (2). Michigan State (11/26): Totaled eight stops...Combined with Torrence Brown on a third-quarter tackle for loss. vs. Wisconsin (12/3): Logged eight tackles. vs. USC (1/2): Logged a game-high 11 tackles, including seven solo.
➤ 2015 ➤ Sophomore Season
Awards: Named honorable-mention All-Big Ten by both the coaches and media...Selected as an ECAC first-team All-Star.
Season: Started all 13 games...Started at the mike and will linebacker spots...Had three 10-plus tackle efforts in 2015.
Final Rankings: Led the team and ranked 15th in the Big Ten with 7.7 tackles per game.
at Temple (9/5): Ranked second on the team with seven tackles...Recorded one pass breakup. Buffalo (9/12): Started in the mike linebacker spot...Recorded six tackles...Had one pass breakup. Rutgers (9/19): Recorded six tackles, including 0.5 tackle for loss...Also broke up one pass...Part of a defense that held Rutgers to just three points, the fewest in a Big Ten opener since limiting Minnesota to three points in 1994...Helped hold Rutgers to 43 rushing yards, the fewest since giving up just 33 yards to Maryland in 2014. San Diego State (9/26): Recorded four tackles, including a half-tackle for loss. Army (10/3): Made a career-high 14 tackles...Recorded his first career sack and forced fumble on the same play in the first quarter...Notched 2.0 sacks total in the game for a loss of 33 yards...Sacked Army quarterback A.J. Schurr on fourth-and-5 on the Black Knights final drive of the game to seal the victory...Was a part of a defensive that limited Army to one pass attempt, the fewest by a Penn State opponent since at least 1966, and one completion, the fewest since 1976 (Ohio State)...The one completion tied for the fewest by a team in FBS in 2015 (by Georgia Southern vs. Western Michigan & by Boston College vs. Syracuse)...Helped hold Army to just 32 passing yards, the fewest against the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten era (since 1993)...Was the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Week. Indiana (10/10): Tied for the team lead with nine tackles...Added one pass breakup...Helped snap Indiana’s string of nine games in which the Hoosiers scored 20-plus points...Part of a defense that held Indiana to 234 yards of total offense, the fewest allowed by PSU since giving up 221 at Indiana in 2014...Played a major role in limiting IU to just 79 rushing yards, the second-straight B1G opponent with less than 80 yards rushing vs. Penn State. at Ohio State (10/17): Recorded five tackles. vs. Maryland (10/24): Notched 10 tackles for his second career 10-plus tackle game...Also had one quarterback hurry. Illinois (10/31): Recorded a team-high seven tackles...Part of a defense that recorded its first Big Ten shutout since blanking Minnesota in 2009 (20-0)...Helped hold Illinois to just 167 yards (37 rushing, 130 passing), the fewest allowed since holding Minnesota to 138 yards (37 rushing, 101 passing) in 2009...As a unit, the defense forced a punt on 12 of Illinois’ 15 possessions, with two ending with a turnover on downs and the other halted by an interception. at Northwestern (11/7): Grabbed his first career interception in the third quarter...Recorded three tackles...Had a half-sack. Michigan (11/21): Recorded eight tackles...Helped hold Michigan to less than 100 yards rushing, the fifth Penn State opponent that failed to reach 100 rushing yards (87 on 30 carries). at Michigan State (11/28): Led all players with 13 tackles. vs. Georgia (1/2): Piled up eight tackles - three solo...Made 1.5 tackles for loss, including a combined stop behind the line with Garrett Sickels on fourth-and-2 in the fourth quarter to give Penn State the ball with a chance to tie the game with under two minutes remaining.
➤ 2014 ➤ True Freshman Season
Awards: Named honorable-mention Big Ten All-Freshman Team by BTN.com.
Season: Appeared in nine games with one start...Made his first career start at Illinois...One of three true freshmen to start on defense...Was among 16 Nittany Lions to make their first career start in 2014...Was one of nine true freshmen to make their debut during the season...Made 17 tackles (seven solo) and logged 0.5 tackle for loss (minus-1)...Was a main cog in a defense that held 11 of 13 opponents to under 300 yards of total offense and limited nine opponents to 20 or fewer points in regulation.
Northwestern (9/27): Made his debut and ranked second on the team with eight tackles (three solo). Maryland (11/1): Totaled two tackles...Helped the defense hold Maryland to 194 yards of total offense, the fewest total yards allowed against a Big Ten opponent since Minnesota (138) in 2009. at Indiana (11/8): Made one stop. at Illinois (11/22): Made his first career start...Posted five stops...Logged first career tackle for loss late in the third quarter...Was part of a defense that limited the Illini to just 68 rushing yards and 2-of-16 on third down conversions. vs. Boston College (12/27): Closed the season with one tackle.
➤ High School
A three-year letterman and starter at linebacker and running back for head coach Matthew Perotti at Hunterdon Central High School...Named team captain as a senior...Is the school record-holder with 50 career touchdowns from his running back position...Named first-team all-metro, the MSG Varsity Tri-State Player of the Year and second-team all-state as a running back and linebacker during his senior season...Missed four games during his senior season due to appendicitis, but still racked up 1,258 yards and 17 touchdowns in eight games...Led the Red Devils to the NJSIAA Group IV State Championship in 2013...As a junior, gained 1,793 rushing yards and scored 24 touchdowns...Tallied 687 yards and seven scores as a sophomore...Was a three-time all-county, all-area, All-West Jersey and All-Skyland Conference selection...Was invited to play in the Chesapeake Bowl and the North-South Offense/Defense all-star games...Named a three-star prospect by all four major recruiting services and was a Top 100 national recruit as a multi-position player...Also earned three letters in basketball...Attained all-area and all-county honors in basketball...Was a three-year member of the Honor Roll and earned the school’s Bradshaw Award for academic and athletic success.
➤ Personal
Full name is Jason W. Cabinda...Son of De-Gaulle and Natalie Cabinda...Has older twin sisters, Linda and Loretta...Enjoys playing basketball, finding new music and watching ESPN’s “30 for 30” documentary series...Majoring in economics...Interested in a career in investment banking...Born March 17, 1996 in Buena Park, California.