Penn State’s Anthony Zettel continues to rake in preseason honors, named this week to the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Outland Trophy Watch Lists; senior safety Jordan Lucas also received a nod from the Nagurski committee.
Named for the now infamous star for the University of Minnesota and the Chicago Bears, the Bronko Nagurski Trophy is given annually to the National Defensive Player of the Year.
The Outland Trophy is given in honor of All-American University of Pennsylvania lineman at the end of the nineteenth century and honors the nation’s top interior lineman. Two former Penn Staters have received the award; Mike Reid in 1969 and Devon Still in 2011.
As one of the Nittany Lions’ most experienced defensive leaders, Zettel’s 2014 season was his best yet with 17 tackles-for-loss and 8.0 sacks. He received national rankings in interceptions and sacks per game.
Zettel was also named to the Bednarik Award preseason watch list last week.
With 58 stops and 2.0 sacks in 2014, Lucas dominated the secondary line and carried the third place team ranking. One of his most impressive moments during the last season came during the New Era Pinstripe Bowl with a fourth quarter sack of Tyler Murphy.
The annual Bronko Nagurski Trophy Banquet, presented by ACN, will be held on December 7 in Charlotte; the Outland Trophy presentation banquet will be held on January 14, 2016, in Omaha.
