Penn State’s Smith tabbed Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – Penn State junior linebacker Brandon Smith was selected Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week on Monday, announced by the league office. Smith had a big impact in Penn State’s 28-20 win over Auburn on Saturday.

Smith won his first career Big Ten weekly honor. He is Penn State’s first Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week since Robert Windsor on Nov. 12, 2018.

The junior tallied a career-high 10 tackles against the Tigers. He added a tackle for loss, a pass breakup and a QB hurry. Smith recorded seven tackles in the first half. Three of his 10 tackles held Auburn to one or less yards.

Through three games, Smith leads Penn State with 25 tackles and 15 solo stops. He also has two tackles for loss.

Smith is the first Penn State player with 25 tackles through the first three games of the season since Mike Hull’s 31 tackles in 2014.

Smith ranks fifth in the Big Ten, and 49th in the country, in total tackles. He sits sixth in the conference, and 41st in the nation, in solo tackles.

Penn State continues its home schedule, and finishes the non-conference portion, on Saturday, Sept. 25 vs. Villanova. Kickoff is scheduled for noon on Big Ten Network. Penn State also announced that its home game with Indiana on Saturday, Oct. 2 will have a 7:30 p.m. kickoff time and be aired on ABC.