In yet another development in what has been an up-and-down football season, DT Jared Odrick was named as a first-team All-American by the American Football Coaches Association Thursday.

The 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player and Defensive Lineman of the Year, Odrick is the 80th Penn State football student-athlete to earn first team All-America recognition, a total of 94 times, dating back to W.T. (Mother) Dunn’s selection to the Walter Camp All-America squad in 1906.

This is not only a big deal because it reinforces Penn State’s reputation as a defensive national power, but also because Odrick deserves the recognition. With apologies to Adam Rittenberg, opponents’ obligation to double-team #91 for the majority of plays justifies his position as an elite defender.

Odrick is not only valuable because he commands double teams from opposing offensive linemen – which, as a result, opens opportunities for other members of the squad to make plays – but he also has impressive solo production with six sacks and ten tackles for loss this year. And of course there’s the memorable play that led to the infamous “crazed dog” moniker.

Penn State may be known as “Linebacker U,” but players like Odrick epitomize our conception of the classic Nittany Lion football player.

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