Penn State defensive end Abdul Carter named Associated Press' Big Ten defensive player of the year
Penn State junior Abdul Carter is the Associated Press’ defender of the year in the Big Ten. And, numerous Nittany Lions were recognized on the media outlet’s all-conference team on Tuesday. The twenty-one-member voting panel did not make Carter a unanimous first-team pick. But, he did end up on that team. Tight end Tyler Warren was a unanimous first-team choice. Guard Vega Ioane was a second-team selection, along with linebacker Kobe King and safety Jaylen Reed.
Carter’s 19.5 tackles for loss were the most in the league. And, he recorded 10 sacks on the year. Warren set the all-time Big Ten single season mark for receptions and receiving yards by a tight end. Over the Lions’ first 13 games, he recorded a team-high 88 catches for 1,062 yards and six touchdowns. He also scored on the ground and through the air so far in 2024. However, he was not one of the four finalists for the Heisman Trophy.
Ioane led the Lions overall after playing a total of 788 snaps for the nation’s No. 15 total offense and No. 25 scoring offense. Reed and King paced the Lions’ No. 6 total defense with 79 and 72 tackles, respectively. The linebacker netted 8.5 tackles for loss and three sacks. The safety had a team-high three interceptions.
Carter was also the Big Ten’s defensive player of the year. Warren was its tight end of the year. Now that all-conference teams are out, All-American honors will come out soon. Both should make the various teams that make up the unanimous list. Both should make all of them.
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Penn State starts SMU prep
As postseason honors are announced this week, Penn State is turning its focus to SMU. The sixth-seeded Nittany Lions meet the No. 11 Mustangs on Dec. 21 at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is at Noon ET on TNT. Head coach James Franklin’s team is an 8.5-point favorite over Rhett Lashlee’s ACC runner-ups. A White Out has been called for by Penn State. And, it will be a sold out crowd.
“I said it earlier in the season that it would be cool if we get in a Playoff game that it be a White Out and then about an hour ago, I saw on social media that, I guess the decision had been made and it’s going to be. Wasn’t a whole lot of conversations besides that,” Franklin said Sunday. “I mentioned it as a possibility. Didn’t have any follow-up conversations. We were focused on finishing the season the right way and it popped up on social media that this game is a White Out.
“So, not a whole lot more than that. I’m assuming [Greg] Kincaid and Chris Petersen, Pat Kraft, and others. Vinnie James could answer that a little bit better than me,” Franklin said. “I just want to make sure that we’re selling big enough white jackets and big enough white parkas to cover the hunting gear that everybody’s got the best chance to following the White Out dress code.”
