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Four Penn State Football Players Named To 2023 Preseason Award Watch Lists

Four Penn State football stars were named to preseason award watch lists Tuesday.

Chop Robinson, Abdul Carter, Kalen King, and Olu Fashanu each received nominations for a slew of awards within college football.

Robinson, Carter, and King were each named to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch list, while Fashanu was nominated to the Outland Trophy watch list. The Bronko Nagurski Trophy is awarded to the best defensive player in college football, while the Outland Trophy recognizes the best interior lineman in college football.

Penn State’s three representatives for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy are tied for the most nominations from any one school along with Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, Michigan, and Georgia. A total of 15 Big Ten student-athletes were named to the watch list.

Robinson, a defensive end, recorded 26 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss, and 5.5 sacks in his sophomore season and Penn State debut. The former Maryland Terrapin was named an All-Big Ten honorable mention as a Nittany Lion in 2022 and closed out the season tied for seventh in the Big Ten in sacks.

A Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list awardee, Carter earned an All-Big Ten second-team designation after his true freshman season in 2022 by way of 56 tackles, including 10.5 tackles for loss, and 6.5 sacks. He led freshmen in the Big Ten in sacks, tackles for loss, and forced fumbles, and became the first freshman since 2012 to record more than 10 tackles for loss and six sacks in a single season.

Joining Carter on the Lott IMPACT Trophy watch list, King led the Big Ten in passes defended and pass breakups in 2022. Over the course of his sophomore season, King registered 30 tackles, three tackles for loss, 18 pass breakups, three interceptions, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.

Penn State’s lone Outland Trophy watch list awardee, Fashanu allowed zero sacks through 281 pass-blocking snaps at left tackle. Fashanu suffered a season-ending injury against Ohio State in 2022, but announced prior that he would return to Penn State for the 2023 season despite being tabbed as a potential first-round draft pick in 2023. He was named to the Big Ten’s preseason honor list last week and, once again, was the sole Nittany Lion representative.

Finalists for the Outland and Nagurski Trophies will be named in November, and the winner of the awards will be announced in December at the Home Depot College Football Awards.

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About the Author

Keeley Lamm

Keeley was Onward State’s managing editor and social media manager in another life. She was also the host of Onward State’s podcast, Podward State. Hopefully she's sitting on a porch somewhere, and you can reach her at [email protected].

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