Tag: Larry Johnson

Sean Clifford named to Maxwell Award watch list

Sean Clifford seeks Penn State’s nation-leading 8th Maxwell Award

College football’s watch list season is officially underway, and Penn State quarterback [autotag]Sean Clifford[/autotag] is already making an appearance on one of the more notable individual award’s watch list.

Clifford was among the players mentioned on the watch list for the Maxwell Award, presented by the Maxwell Football Club. The award is presented annually to college football’s most outstanding player as determined by The Maxwell Football Club.

Penn State has a strong history with the Maxwell Award with seven all-time winners of the award. Previous Maxwell Award winners from Penn State include [autotag]Richie Lucas[/autotag] (1959), [autotag]Glenn Ressler[/autotag] (1964), [autotag]Mike Reid[/autotag] (1969), [autotag]John Cappelletti[/autotag] (1973), [autotag]Chuck Fusina[/autotag] (1978), [autotag]Kerry Collins[/autotag] (1994), and [autotag]Larry Johnson[/autotag] (2002). Johnson is also the most recent player from a Big Ten school to win the award, giving the conference a surprising  20-year drought it is looking to end this fall.

Penn State is tied with Notre Dame for the most all-time Maxwell aWard winners with seven each.

Last year’s winner of the Maxwell Award was Alabama quarterback Bryce Young. Young was the fifth player from Alabama to win the award. Alabama’s first Maxwell Award winner was A.J. McCarron in 2013.

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Saquon Barkley leads Penn State in rushing touchdowns, where does everyone else fall?

Here are Penn State’s all-time rushing touchdown leaders heading into 2022. How long until Nick Singleton makes this list?

Penn State has a long list of successful running backs to its credit in both college and the NFL. So many names that college fans know and love are in the Penn State record books.

To round out our recap of the Penn State rushing records we look at the guys who always wanted to end a drive with six points. The guys who could be the work horse type back and finish things off in the endzone, the top rushing touchdown leaders of all-time.

There will be a lot of familiar names like [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag] who lead the list but also players like [autotag]Franco Harris[/autotag], [autotag]Curt Warner[/autotag], and potential hall of famer [autotag]Ki-Jana Carter[/autotag]. All of these players left lasting impacts and will be remembered for the foreseeable future at Penn State for their accomplishments.

For now, lets see who made it to the end zone the most with the blue and white on them.

A surprising name leads Penn State’s all-time leading rushers

Who is Penn State’s all-time leading rusher? It may not be who first think of.

Penn State has had a large amount of notable running backs step foot on Beaver Stadium’s grass, including several college hall of fame players. Of those notable men, none of them are actually the all-time leading rusher in the program’s history.

Names like [autotag]Larry Johnson[/autotag], [autotag]Saquon Barkley[/autotag], and [autotag]Curt Warner[/autotag] are names you expect to see but none of them lead the list. Leading the list is a running back who was more than reliable during his tenure. Speaking of reliability, Penn State has strayed away from the run game but recent recruiting points to that aspect of the game making a grand return.

For the time being, while [autotag]James Franklin[/autotag] decides what he wants to do with the offense, we can just hope that [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] joins this list one day. Until then, take some time to jump in the way-back machine in Penn State history.

Penn State’s all-time best single-game rushing performances entering 2022

Here are the top single-game rushing performances in Penn State history.

Penn State has always prides itself on two things; defense and running the football. The running game has been lacking as of late but with new high-ranking recruit [autotag]Nick Singleton[/autotag] on campus there is much-needed renewed optimism.

No one is expecting record-breaking performances from Singleton anytime soon but the potential he has is limitless. Over the years there have been several names that are recognizable across the landscape of the sport who have played for Penn State. On top of that, there are Pro Football Hall of Famers who have Penn State as their alma mater.

For now, Nick Singleton will be looking to excel on a week-by-week basis but let’s say he has a big week. How big a week does he need to have in order to make this list of all-time single-game rushing records? See for yourself.

PHOTOS: Penn State’s first round NFL draft picks since joining the Big Ten

From LaVar Arrington and Kerry Collins to Saquon Barkley and Micah Parsons, Penn State has had some big names drafted in the first round by NFL teams over the years.

After seeing two players be selected in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft, with [autotag]Micah Parsons[/autotag] and [autotag]Odafe Oweh[/autotag], Penn State is hoping to see at least one more player go in the first round of the 2022 NFL draft. And there is a good chance a Nittany Lion will be selected in the first round with wide receiver [autotag]Jahan Dotson[/autotag] and defensive end [autotag]Arnold Ebiketie[/autotag] each being viewed as potential first-round selections.

Penn State has a history of developing NFL talent at all positions, but the school may not have quite as many first-round draft picks as you might have originally thought. Since joining the Big Ten in 1993, Penn State has had 19 players drafted in the first round of the NFL draft. Three players highlighted the top 10 of the 1995 draft following Penn State’s undefeated 1994 season. In 2003, Penn State players were selected with four first-round picks by NFL teams.

A Penn State player has been selected with the top overall pick twice in the Big Ten era of the program. Running back [autotag]Ki-Jana Carter[/autotag] was the first pick of the 1995 draft by the Cincinnati Bengals, who traded up to make the move. In 2003, Penn State’s massive defensive lineman [autotag]Courtney Brown[/autotag] was the first pick of the draft by the Cleveland Browns. His teammate, linebacker [autotag]LaVar Arrington[/autotag], followed as the No. 2 pick of Washington.

Here is a look at each first-round draft pick out of Penn State since the Nittany Lions joined the Big Ten.

Defensive coordinator search could be over as Anthony Poindexter makes a decision

Penn State’s search for a defensive coordinator could be over with Anthony Poindexter’s latest statement

Just when it looked as though momentum was building for the possibility of Penn State losing another defensive coordinator to a head coaching opportunity, it appears as though that will no longer be the case. Anthony Poindexter will reportedly stay at Penn State on the staff under James Franklin instead of moving to his alma mater to become the next head coach of the Virginia Cavaliers. And that could mean Penn State’s search for a defensive coordinator will officially be over soon.

Poindexter appeared to be a leading candidate for the Virginia head coaching job over the last week, with Franklin appearing to be bracing for the possibility of coaching the Outback Bowl against Arkansas with a reduced staff as a result. Penn State is already without Brent Pry, who has moved on to become the head coach at Virginia Tech. But on Wednesday, multiple reports suggested Poindexter will stay at Penn State. Among those reporting such was Adam Rittenberg of ESPN, via Twitter.

“Timing is everything for both sides,” Poindexter reportedly told Rittenberg. “There will be a day, but I’m going to stay at Penn State.”

What led to this statement from Poindexter confirming his decision to stay at Penn State is up for interpretation, of course. Poindexter had plenty to offer Virginia, but the Cavaliers could also be moving in a different direction for their head coach search. According to Brett McMurphy of The Action Network, Clemson offensive coordinator Tony Elliott is the leading candidate for the job in Charlottesville now.

Did Poindexter turn Virginia down, or did Virginia decide to move in a different direction away from the former Virginia All-American? Again, who knows for sure?

What this means, however, is Penn State may have its defensive coordinator figured out. Poindexter had the title of co-defensive coordinator at Penn State along with Pry, although Pry was largely credited for being the main coordinator. With Pry gone, Franklin could simply put more of the defensive responsibilities on Poindexter as the sole defensive coordinator or move him up in rank while adding another co-defensive coordinator.

There could be options to explore in adding a defensive coordinator. Ohio State will have to adjust its staff to make room for new defensive coordinator Jim Knowles on their staff, leaving some Penn State fans dreaming of a return of Larry Johnson in a more prominent role, but don’t count on that option playing out. The sudden availability of former Miami head coach Manny Diaz, who enjoyed success as a defensive coordinator, is fun to think about as well, but there is no indication Franklin is looking that way at this time.

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5 possible candidates for defensive coordinator at Penn State

5 possible candidates to replace Brent Pry as Penn State’s defensive coordinator

For the first time since becoming a head coach, James Franklin is searching for a new defensive coordinator. Franklin’s long-time defensive coordinator, Brent Pry, accepted an opportunity to become a head coach with Virginia Tech and that leaves a big hole on Franklin’s staff he has never once had to fill during his years as a head coach. Pry was on Franklin’s staff with at least a share of the defensive coordinator responsibilities since Franklin’s first year as a head coach at Vanderbilt, and Pry followed Franklin to Penn State to continue leading the defense.

But with Pry off to Blacksburg, and possibly taking a couple of assistants and staffers with him, Franklin must find a new coach to lead the defense in 2022. And, if history is any indication, Franklin will have some interesting names worth considering for Pry’s successor in Happy Valley. There is even a chance the next defensive coordinator could already be on the staff, but there could be some names worth exploring from outside of the Penn State football family as well.

Here are five names Penn State fans will likely be hearing about to some degree or another as Franklin looks to find his next defensive coordinator.

By the numbers: Top 10 single-game rushing records in Penn State Nittany Lions history

Larry Johsnon owns the top four single-game rushing records in Penn State history. Who else is in the top 10?

When it comes to single-game rushing production, nobody set the bar as high at Penn State as Larry Johnson. Johnson, the school’s only 2,000-yard rusher in program history, torched overmatched opponents on his hot streak in 2002. As a result, Johnson owns the top four all-time single-game rushing totals in Penn State history.

For a school with as many talented running backs as Penn State has had over the years, Johnson’s 2002 season stands out, and his big-game performances will be difficult for any future running back at Penn State to catch due to the nature of the offense in today’s game. Penn State has evolved with the flow of the game to rely more on big plays through the air as opposed to grinding out yards on the ground. This is evident by contrasting this list of the top 10 single-game rushing performances with the list of top 10 single-game passing records.

Since Johnson’s 2,000-yard season in 2002, there have been just six games with a Penn State running back going for at least 200 yards on the ground. Saquon Barkley’s magical 211-yard performance against Iowa in 2017 remains the high mark on the ground for Penn State running backs since Johnson’s 2002 season.

Here is a look at those top 10 individual rushing performances in Penn State history, with Johnson taking the top four spots all to himself. As a bonus, we’ll actually make this a top 11 because Larry Johnson tied one of his high marks, so we’ll give both one spot and slide in one more at the beginning of this list.

Penn State leads nation in Doak Walker Award watch list running backs

Penn State is the only school with THREE Doak Walker Award watch list players. Can any of them win it for the second time in school history?

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If you had any doubts about the quality depth at the running back position in Happy Valley, then doubt no more. Penn State landed three players on the watch list for the Doak Walker Award on Wednesday, more than any other school in the country.

The Doak Walker Award is awarded annually to the top running back in college football. This year’s watch list was first released with Penn State’s Noah Cain, Keyvone Lee, and John Lovett on the watch list. As is typically the case, a player does not need to appear on the watch list before the season to be eligible to win the award, but it is still nice to be included among the nation’s best at your respective position. Other Nittany Lions aren’t able to say the same this week.

Cain suffered an early season-ending injury in 2020 but appears to be on track to be available for the Nittany Lions in 2021. If healthy, it is expected Cain will be the leading rusher for Penn State.

In Cain’s absence last season, Lee was one of the younger players (along with Devyn Ford) to receive more playing time in the offense, and he showed some good glimpses of what he can do as well.

Lovett is the newest member to the Penn State family, but he is already the most experienced back in the program after transferring from Baylor. Lovett was a key offensive player for Baylor early on in his time in Waco, and he is expected to be a solid piece of the offensive gameplan at Penn State.

Penn State has had just one Doak Walker Award winner in program history despite the award first being presented in 1990. Larry Johnson won the Doak Walker Award in 2002. Ki-Jana Carter missed out on the Doak Walker Award in 1994 behind Heisman Trophy winner Rashaan Salaam from Colorado. More recently, Saquon Barkley couldn’t get past Stanford’s Bryce Love or Texas’ D’Onta Foreman for the award.

Alabama’s Najee Harris (drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers along with Penn State tight end Pat Freiermuth this spring) won the Doak Walker Award in 2020.

Penn State wide receiver Jahan Dotson and safety Jaquan Brisker were recently named to the watch lists for the Maxwell Award and Chuck Bednarik Award, respectively.

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Penn State’s all-time leading rushers in Nittany Lions history

Where does Saquon Barkley rank among Penn State’s all-time leading rushers, including Franco Harris, Lydell Mitchell, and Ki-Jana Carter?

Maybe Penn State doesn’t have as strong a case to be made for Running Back U as some other programs, but the Nittany Lions have had their fair share of some of the best running backs in the game. From Lydell Mitchell to Franco Harris to Ki-Jana Carter and to Saquon Barkley, Penn State running backs have provided plenty of memories to fans over the years.

But who tops the list when it comes to Penn State’s all-time leading rushers list? Perhaps one of the more unassuming names to come through Happy Valley, Evan Royster. Royster may not have had the talent and skills of some of the others to suit up for the Nittany Lions over time, but his hard work and reliable performance stood the test of time. And having the opportunity to break into the offense early on and play his full four years of eligibility helped him continue to climb the ranks of Penn State’s all-time leading rushers.

With three 1,000-yard seasons, it has proven to be difficult to catch Royster, but his mark may not be untouchable. Saquon Barkley came close to catching Royster and would have easily surpassed him had Barkley remained at Penn State for one more season of eligibility instead of heading to the NFL. But as things stand now, Royster should feel pretty comfortable atop the leaderboard for a little while longer before anyone makes a run at his school record.

Here is a look at Penn State’s top 20 all-time leading rushers.

All data is credited to College Football Reference. This list will be updated accordingly.

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