PSU’s Allar, Carter, Ioane, J-Thomas Tabbed For Watch Lists
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State junior quarterback Drew Allar was named to the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and Manning Award watch lists, while junior defensive end Abdul Carter was selected for the Lombardi Award watch list. Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Olaivavega Ioane and redshirt senior+ defensive tackle Dvon J-Thomas landed on the Polynesian Player of the Year Award watch list.
The Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award annually recognizes the top senior or upperclassman quarterback.
The Manning Award recognizes the top quarterback in the country. It was created by the Allstate Sugar Bowl in honor of the college football accomplishments of Archie, Peyton and Eli Manning. It is the only quarterback award that includes the candidates’ postseason performances in its balloting.
The Lombardi Award, established in 1970, was presented to an outstanding lineman who best epitomizes the values of leadership, courage, performance and discipline on and off the field.
The Polynesian Player of the Year Award is presented by the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame.
Drew Allar · Jr. · QB · 6-5 · 238 · Medina, Ohio · Medina
Named to the Davey O’Brien Award and Maxwell Award Watch Lists.
Earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and media in 2023.
Enters 2024 season ranked first in school history in career interception percentage (0.45), third in completion percentage (59.7), seventh in touchdown pass percentage (6.46) and seventh in passing efficiency (135.8).
Started all 13 games last season.
Was a member of the Danny O’Brien Award Class of 2023.
Completed 59.9 percent of his passes for 2,631 yards and 25 touchdowns (two interceptions), while rushing for four scores.
Set Penn State season record for lowest interception percentage (0.51) and became the first quarterback in school history to throw for 10+ touchdowns before throwing an interception in a season.
His 25 touchdown passes were tied third in a season at Penn State, while he ranked fifth in touchdowns responsible for (29), sixth in completions (233), seventh in attempts (389), ninth in completion percentage (59.9) and tied-ninth in 200+ yard passing games (7).
Finished second in the nation in touchdown-to-interception ratio (12.5-to-1).
Tied for the Big Ten lead in passing touchdowns (25; T-18th nationally) and finished second in points responsible for (176; T-26th), fourth in passing efficiency (136.9) and passing yards (2,631) and fifth in yards per pass attempt (6.76).
Joined Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker (2022) as the only FBS quarterbacks ever to throw 25+ touchdown passes and 2 or less interceptions in a season.
Began 2023 season with 251 pass attempts without an interception, the sixth-most to start a season since 2000, trailing only Louisiana Tech’s Colby Cameron (428; 2012), Oregon’s Marcus Mariota (285; 2013), Western Kentucky’s Tyrrell Pigrome (278; 2020), NC State’s Ryan Finley (274; 2017) and West Virginia’s Geno Smith (273; 2012).
Opened career with 311 passing attempts without an interception, shattering the FBS record held by Baylor’s Robert Griffin III (209 attempts in 2008).
In his first career start, Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns against West Virginia to earn Big Ten Offensive Player of the Week.
The Ohio native set a career high with four passing touchdowns against Indiana and tallied a passing and rushing touchdown at Northwestern.
Collected three passing touchdowns and a rushing score against UMass and tossed three touchdowns against Indiana.
Threw for 240 yards and four touchdowns at Maryland and ended the regular season throwing for 292 yards and two scores at Michigan State.
Threw for 295 yards and two touchdowns against Ole Miss in the Peach Bowl.
Abdul Carter · Jr. · DE · 6-3 · 259 · Philadelphia, Pa. · La Salle College High School
Named to the Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch Lists.
Tabbed to Walter Camp Award Preseason All-America Team.
Garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second-team from the media.
Tabbed second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
Earned Penn State’s Keystone Award winner on defense, sharing the honor with Kevin Winston Jr.
Was named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches in 2022.
Made switch from linebacker to defensive end following 2023 season.
Has tallied 104 tackles (61 solo), 16 tackles for loss, 11 sacks, three forced fumbles, an interception and nine pass breakups entering his third season in Happy Valley.
Notched 48 tackles (25 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.5 sacks, a forced fumble, an interception, five pass breakups and five QB hurries in 2023.
According to Pro Football Focus, his 24.1 pass rush win percentage ranked third in the FBS among players with at least 100 pass rush snaps last season.
Started the 2023 campaign with a solo sack in the fourth quarter against West Virginia.
Recorded his first career interception against Illinois and posted a career-high nine tackles and a pass breakup at Ohio State.
Secured a solo sack against Maryland and forced a fumble against Michigan.
Tied a career high with two sacks at Michigan State.
Olaivavega Ioane · R-So. · OL · 6-4 · 346 · Graham, Wash. · Graham-Kapowsin
Has appeared in 17 career games, making five starts.
Named honorable-mention All-Big Ten by the media in 2023.
Made 13 appearances and five starts last season.
Was the Coaching Staff’s Offensive Player of the Game following the Iowa game.
According to Pro Football Focus, allowed just three sacks in 341 pass-blocking snaps.
Helped Penn State to tally at least 400 yards in six games, including a season-best 586 yards at Michigan State.
Penn State did not allow a sack against Delaware, Iowa or Rutgers.
The Nittany Lions rushed for over 200 yards in five games and threw for at least 200 yards in eight games.
The Nittany Lions had multiple rushing touchdowns in eight games this season.
Dvon J-Thomas · R-Sr+. · DT · 6-1 · 304 · Burtonsville, Md. · McDonogh School
Has appeared in 43 career games, making 10 starts.
Earned his Penn State degree in telecommunications.
Named honorable-mention All-Big Ten by the media in 2023.
Garnered the team’s Ridge Riley Memorial Award, sharing with Malick Meiga.
Enters 2024 with 59 career tackles (30 solo) to go with 9.5 tackles for loss, two sacks, one forced fumble, one fumble recovery and one pass breakup.
In 2023, tallied 26 tackles (14 solo), five tackles for loss and a QB hurry.
According to Pro Football Focus, tied-seventh among Big Ten interior defensive linemen with five tackles for loss or no gain on run plays.
Notched a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss against UMass, while posting a career-high five tackles.
Assisted on a pair of tackles, including a half-tackle for loss, at Ohio State.
Made two tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss at Maryland.
Recorded a half-tackle for loss against Rutgers and a full tackle for loss at Michigan State.
The preseason watch list, semifinalists, finalists and award recipient are selected by the distinguished Johnny Unitas golden Arm Selection Committee, a group of prominent college football journalists, commentators, announcers and former players. Johnny Unitas was an 18-year veteran of the NFl, who played his collegiate career at Louisville before joining the Baltimore Colts.
This year’s award winner will be presented the Golden Arm Award trophy at the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award celebration the Four Seasons Hotel in Baltimore on December 6, 2024.
The finalists for the Manning Award will be selected prior to the postseason and the winner will be announced following the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The 2024 Lombardi Award dinner will take place on December 11, 2024.
The five finalists for the 2024 Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award will be unveiled on December 3 and the winner will be announced on December 17. The presentation of the award will be held during the Polynesian Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Celebration Dinner on January 18, 2025 at the Sheraton Waikiki. They will also be recognized during the Polynesian Bowl on January 17.
Penn State Football Recognized On Preseason Watch Lists:
Drew Allar – Davey O’Brien Award, Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award, Manning Award, Maxwell Award
Kaytron Allen – Doak Walker Award
Abdul Carter – Bednarik Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Nagurski Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
Dani Dennis-Sutton – Lott IMPACT Trophy
Tyler Duzansky – Mannelly Award
Olaivavega Ioane – Polynesian Player of the Year Award
Dvon J-Thomas – Polynesian Player of the Year Award
Kobe King – Butkus Award
Chase Meyer – Lou Groza Award
Nicholas Singleton – Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
Riley Thompson – Ray Guy Award
Tyler Warren – Mackey Award
Kevin Winston Jr. – Bednarik Award
Sal Wormley – Outland Trophy
Penn State’s season opener at West Virginia on Aug. 31 will kick at noon on FOX. The Nittany Lions return 42 lettermen from last year’s squad – 17 on offense, 22 on defense and three on special teams and bring back 16 starters – seven on offense, seven on defense and two on special teams.
For club and ticket information for the 2024 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, or call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
