Penn State Dominates All-Big Ten Selections

The 2008 All-Big Ten selections by the conference coaches and media are out and Penn State has many representatives. The Nittany Lions had nine first team members on the coaches ballot and seven from the media. Two more were voted to the second team by the coaches and six more by the media.

Daryll Clark was the first team QB on both the coaches and media teams. Joining him as first team selections on both ballots is the entire left side of the offensive line. Gerald Cadogan, Rich Ohrnberger, and A.Q Shipley, who was voted offensive lineman of the year, are first teamers two times over. Defensively, Aaron maybin and Navorro Bowman made both first teams.

Penn State had a slew of honorable mentions as well.

Joe Paterno collected his third Dave McClain Coach of the Year award.

Perhaps the thing that irks me the most is the unanimous selection of overrated Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis. He is notorious among the blogosphere for showing up late to plays and collecting tackles by jumping on the pile. He is troutinely dominated by strong offensive lineman and a dynamic ground game. He is not worthy of all the praise he gets. Is he the best MLB in the Big Ten? Probably. But unanimous and Defensive Player of the Year? NO WAY. He is going to get manhandled in the NFL. I feel bad for the team that drafts him in the 1st round. His talent should relegate him to the late 1st early 2nd AT BEST.

All of the 2008 All-Big Ten selections can be found here or by clicking on the picture below. The Penn State members are boxed in navy.

Penn State's Dan Connor Wins Bednarik Award

Dan Connor leers at a Michigan State player during the 2006 game at Happy Valley.

Dan Connor continues to make 'Linebacker U' proud. Connor was named the Bednarik Award recipient tonight during the Hom Depot College Football Awards show on ESPN. The Bednarik Award is given annually to the best defensive player at the college level as decided by the Maxwell Football Club. With Connor's win Penn State has now captured this award in three consecutive seasons. Paul Posluszny won the award in 2005 and 2006. Connor, who has 410 tackles in his four years, is also a finalist for the Butkus Award which is given to the nation's best linebacker. Posluszny failed in his attempt to repeat as Butkus Award winner in 2006 as the award went to Patrick Willis of Mississippi. The odds on favorite is Ohio State's James Laurinaitis.

Connor was also named to the Walter Camp All-America team, the nations oldest All-America squad. He will most likely be named to many more first team and national squads over the next few weeks.