Tag: 2021 Penn State

WATCH: Penn State surprises special teams player with scholarship

Drew Hartlaub has played a role on special teams for Penn State his entire collegiate career, earning a scholarship in 2021.

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What’s a Penn State spring game, or spring practice in this case, without a special moment to be celebrated? After Penn State’s spring practice in Beaver Stadium on Saturday, the Nittany Lions surprised redshirt junior Drew Hartlaub with a scholarship. And what better way to learn of the news than from a true legend of the program?

Jack Ham, a College Football Hall of Fame linebacker for the Nittany Lions and a current radio analyst on the Penn State sports radio network, visited the team in the locker room after the spring practice. Other than hearing one of the program’s best all-time players offer some encouragement and words of advice moving forward, Ham was given the opportunity to inform Hartlaub that he is now on scholarship. Naturally, the locker room burst into celebration.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CNyUbSJLjqT/

 

Hartlaub has been well respected within the Penn State program throughout his collegiate career. Hartlaub has played in 30 games for Penn State, all as a member of the special teams unit. Last season, Hartlaub was named the coaching staff’s special teams player of the week following his performance against Michigan with a fumble recovery. It was the second time of Hartlaub’s career he had been recognized as the team’s special teams player of the week.

In 2019, Hartlaub was recognized as the team’s developmental squad defensive player of the week following games against Buffalo and Iowa, showing Hartlaub is dedicated to playing a role in practices that helps lead to victory on Saturdays. He was also named the scout team special teams player of the year in his redshirt freshman season of 2018.

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2021 Penn State Nittany Lions Profile Card: Jonathan Sutherland

Penn State safety and special teams player Jonathan Sutherland has been a true leader for the Nittany Lions.

Name: Jonathan Sutherland

Number: 0

Position: Safety

Class: Redshirt Junior

Height: 5’11”

Weight: 201 lbs

Hometown: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

High School: Episcopal (VA)

Twitter: @jay_suth

Overview

Penn State’s recent pipeline of talent north of the border has resulted in the addition of a true team leader within the program with Jonathan Sutherland. The Canadian-born native and former Virginia all-state player has been a team captain for multiple seasons for the Nittany Lions. He’s been a true inspiration for the program as well and will leave Penn State having left quite an impression on the program.

Sutherland will also be the answer to a Penn State football trivia question forever as the first player to wear No. 0 on the football field for the Nittany Lions. Sutherland was the recipient of the first No. 0 in program history as part of a brand new tradition introduced by head coach James Franklin in 2002 to honor a leader on the special teams unit.

In 2019, Sutherland unwillingly became the center of attention after receiving hate mail from an older Penn State fan. The so-called fan wrote a letter to Sutherland criticizing the way he looks with his hair and tattoos. Fortunately, Sutherland received the support of his teammates and other Penn State fans in full force. Sutherland’s handling of the personal situation proved why he has been named a team captain and, eventually, was awarded the uniform No. 0 for the first time in program history in 2020.

Sutherland continues to lead by example within the Penn State program as he gears up for the 2021 season.

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