Penn State edge rusher Abdul Carter named Big Ten defensive player of the year, defensive lineman of the year
Penn State junior Abdul Carter is a two-time All-Big Ten pick. However, he’s never been honored by the conference in any other way during its postseason award show. That is now changing. The Nittany Lion is the league’s 2024 Nagurski–Woodson Defensive Player of the Year. He is also the Big Ten defensive lineman of the year. It announced the news on Tuesday. He is the seventh PSU player to win the honor, joining LaVar Arrington (1998), Courtney Brown (1999), Michael Haynes (2002), Jared Odrick (2009), Devon Still (2011), and Carl Nassib (2015).
“[Carter] wreaks havoc,” Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who will face Carter and Penn State in Saturday’s Big Ten title game, said on Monday. “He’s a disruptive player. Extremely physical. I also think his ability to be physical, his finesse, and his speed are impressive. We have confidence in our guys. Know we’re playing against a damn good team. Two teams who have done their due diligence to get to this point. They have a lot of talented guys. But him, they’re allowing him to play his game. And, that’s why he’s had success.”
Carter is in his first season as a defensive end. He moved there from linebacker this offseason. While all parties note that it took some time for him to fully thrive at the position, that is happening now. He is the first Nittany Lion with 10 sacks in a season since Nassib in 2015. That is the eighth most nationally. And, his 19.5 tackles for loss are the third most nationally.
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“When you watch the tape, the guy is impactful,” Penn State coach James Franklin said earlier this month. “Whether it’s sacks, whether it’s tackles for loss, whether it’s holding calls, whether it is obvious that they have a specific plan in how they’re trying to limit his impact, keeping tight ends in, keeping running backs in, always sliding in his direction so there’s double-team between the tackle and the guard. Like he is impacting the game in a number of ways. Which, creates opportunities for other guys on our defensive line and within our defense. And, causes a lot of headaches.
“So he’s been great. His attitude’s been great. He is coachable. He is becoming more and more of a leader every single day.”
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Carter is a finalist for the Lombardi and Bednarik awards and also the Nagursky Trophy. He also said Saturday that he believes he should be in the Heisman Trophy conversation this year. He will not be in New York for its ceremony later this month. But, he impacts the game as much as anyone who will be there.
“I feel like there is a lot of hype and offensive players are recognized as the best player in the country, but there are also defensive players who make just as much of an impact as the best offensive players,” Carter said.
“I feel like Ashton Jeanty and Travis Hunter are great players in their own respect, but I impact the game just as much if not more than them, and I feel like defensive players should start getting the same recognition and we don’t. The Heisman is the top player in the country, the best player in the country and I feel like I’m that.”
