Three Penn State Players Named To Preseason All-American Team
Earlier this month, the Walter Camp Preseason All-American teams were announced. Penn State had three players selected, two to the first team and one to the second team. While some names might surprise the average Big Ten fans, Penn State fans will certainly feel that these selections are justified. Senior defensive tackle Zane Durant, redshirt junior Olaivevega Ioane of the offensive line, and senior running back Nicholas Singleton were announced as Penn State's representatives on the first and second teams for the preseason All-American squads. That is tied for the most players selected in the country, along with Alabama, Clemson, Indiana and Texas. Durant and Singleton were the first team selections, while Ioane was the lone second-teamer.
This comes after breakout campaigns for both Durant and Ioane respectively, and a season that cemented Singleton as perhaps the best running back in the nation. Singleton returns to Happy Valley leading all returning FBS players in rushing yards(2,912) and rushing touchdowns(32). He already ranks fifth all time in Penn State history in the latter statistic and 10th in the former.
Durant meanwhile, has tallied 64 career tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss, six sacks, one fumble recovery and a pass breakup throughout his career. Nevertheless, he has not necessarily garnered the accolades of some of his peers, only being named to honorable mention squads throughout his career. His first ever selection to a preseason All-American team finally cements him as a serious threat to have another standout season in his final year with the Nittany Lions.
Ioane is no stranger to second team selections. In his first full season starting at left guard, he was selected to the All-Big Ten second team. He was part of a line that did not allow a sack in five games last year and most importantly only allowed 3.81 tackles for loss, ninth in the nation. Ioane was also a major factor in bolstering Drew Allar's ability to throw from a comfortable pocket. The Nittany Lions were eleventh in completion percentage, and tenth in passing efficiency.
Overall, Penn State fans should be satisfied with these selections. What could shock some are the glaring omissions. Some may certainly believe that Dani Dennis-Sutton is highly deserving of this honor, maybe even more so than his D-linemate, Durant. And Drew Allar is coming off a career year that saw him have career highs across the board and majorly improve under Andy Kotelnicki's tutelage. Nevetheless, it could be a pleasant surprise to those who love the team for more than just its biggest stars.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
an hour ago
Katie Ledecky among four gold-medal favorites for the Americans on Day 3 at swim worlds
SINGAPORE -- Katie Ledecky leads the Americans on Tuesday at the swimming world championships, where the United States is the gold-medal favorite in four of the five finals on Day 3. The Americans have one gold from the first two days of the meet, clearly slowed by what team officials call 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at a training camp in Thailand. But symptoms have faded and results seem sure to follow in Singapore. Ledecky goes in the 1,500-meter freestyle where she is virtually unbeatable. She holds the world record — 15 minutes, 20.48 seconds — and swam the second-fastest time in history earlier this year — 15:24.51. She's the most decorated female swimmer in history — 14 medals in the Olympics and 27 in the worlds and counting. Of those 41, 30 are gold. But there's more than Ledecky. Luke Hobson has the top qualifying time in the 200 freestyle. He was the bronze medalist a year ago in Paris. The field is bunched including Paris Olympic champion David Popovici of Romania. Pan Zhanle of China, who set a world record a year ago in Paris in the 100, missed qualifying for the 200. He was 22nd in qualifying, almost three seconds behind the top qualifiers. Another American, Regan Smith, faces off with Kaylee McKeown of Australia in one of swimming's best rivalries. Smith holds the world record (57.13). McKeown took gold in Paris, pushing Smith to silver. The fourth gold-medal shot is with Kate Douglass in the 100 breaststroke. The gold medalist in the 200 in Paris, Douglass goes for gold in the shorter distance. Lilly King, who holds the world record (1:04.13) failed to qualify. Anita Bottazzo of Italy and Tang Qianting of China are in the chase. The fifth final is fast and close in the men's 100 backstroke with Hubert Kós of Hungary — he trains at the University of Texas at Austin — the top qualifier. Summer McIntosh, the 18-year-old Canadian swimmer who is aiming for five individual gold medals in Singapore, won the 200-meter individual medley on Monday after winning the 400 freestyle title on Sunday. She's not competing for gold on Day 3.
Fox Sports
2 hours ago
- Fox Sports
Díaz's walk-off single lifts the Padres to a wild 7-6 win against the Mets
Associated Press SAN DIEGO (AP) — Elias Diaz singled with two outs in the ninth inning to bring in Jose Iglesias with the winning run, and the San Diego Padres beat the New York Mets 7-6 in a wild game Monday night to end their seven-game winning streak. The Padres chased Díaz into shallow right field in celebration. Iglesias, who played for New York last year, reached on a bunt that new Mets reliever Gregory Soto (0-3) fielded and threw wide of shortstop Francisco Lindor, allowing Xander Bogaerts to take second. Iglesias advanced on Jake Cronenworth's bunt that forced Bogaerts at third and then scored on Díaz's single to left-center. Ronny Mauricio tied the game for the NL East-leading Mets with a one-out homer in the ninth off All-Star closer Robert Suarez (3-4), who was trying for his major league-leading 31st save. Padres starter Dylan Cease was hit in the back of the head by a one-hopper off Lindor's bat with one out in the third, but remained in the game after being checked by trainers. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was ejected one batter later by plate umpire Emil Jimenez after Juan Soto took a called third strike. The Mets took a 5-1 lead in the fifth when Mark Vientos hit his first career grand slam, one inning after right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. made a spectacular leaping catch to rob him of a two-run homer. The Padres rallied for five runs in the bottom of the inning, on seven hits and a walk, as well as a break when reliever Huascar Brazoban was late covering first on Cronenworth's two-out shot to first baseman Pete Alonso that went for an RBI single. The highlight was Luis Arraez's two-run homer high off the right-field foul pole followed by an epic bat flip. Key moments Tatis robbing Vientos and then making a sliding catch of Mauricio's sinking liner in the sixth. Key stat It was the Padres' fifth walk-off win this season. Up next Mets LHP Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.19 ERA), who pitched for the Padres in 2022, is scheduled to start Tuesday night. The Padres hadn't announced a starter. ___ AP MLB: recommended Item 1 of 1
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Katie Ledecky among four gold-medal favorites for the Americans on Day 3 at swim worlds
SINGAPORE (AP) — Katie Ledecky leads the Americans on Tuesday at the swimming world championships, where the United States is the gold-medal favorite in four of the five finals on Day 3. The Americans have one gold from the first two days of the meet, clearly slowed by what team officials call 'acute gastroenteritis' picked up at a training camp in Thailand. But symptoms have faded and results seem sure to follow in Singapore. Ledecky goes in the 1,500-meter freestyle where she is virtually unbeatable. She holds the world record — 15 minutes, 20.48 seconds — and swam the second-fastest time in history earlier this year — 15:24.51. She's the most decorated female swimmer in history — 14 medals in the Olympics and 27 in the worlds and counting. Of those 41, 30 are gold. But there's more than Ledecky. Luke Hobson has the top qualifying time in the 200 freestyle. He was the bronze medalist a year ago in Paris. The field is bunched including Paris Olympic champion David Popovici of Romania. Pan Zhanle of China, who set a world record a year ago in Paris in the 100, missed qualifying for the 200. He was 22nd in qualifying, almost three seconds behind the top qualifiers. Another American, Regan Smith, faces off with Kaylee McKeown of Australia in one of swimming's best rivalries. Smith holds the world record (57.13). McKeown took gold in Paris, pushing Smith to silver. The fourth gold-medal shot is with Kate Douglass in the 100 breaststroke. The gold medalist in the 200 in Paris, Douglass goes for gold in the shorter distance. Lilly King, who holds the world record (1:04.13) failed to qualify. Anita Bottazzo of Italy and Tang Qianting of China are in the chase. The fifth final is fast and close in the men's 100 backstroke with Hubert Kós of Hungary — he trains at the University of Texas at Austin — the top qualifier. Summer McIntosh , the 18-year-old Canadian swimmer who is aiming for five individual gold medals in Singapore, won the 200-meter individual medley on Monday after winning the 400 freestyle title on Sunday. She's not competing for gold on Day 3. ___ AP sports:
