PSU’s Carter, Fashanu, Robinson Tabbed To Lombardi Award Watch List

UNIVERSITY PARK, PA – Penn State sophomore linebacker Abdul Carter, junior offensive lineman Olumuyiwa Fashanu and junior defensive end Chop Robinson were named to the Lombardi Award watch list on Tuesday.

The Lombardi Award is presented annually to the college football offensive or defensive lineman who exemplifies the character and discipline of NFL Hall of Fame head coach Vince Lombardi in addition to outstanding performance and ability. The award qualifications also include linebackers who line up within five yards of the line of scrimmage.

Abdul Carter · So. · LB · 6-3 · 250 · Philadelphia, Pa. · La Salle College HS

• Also named to Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Butkus Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy watch lists.
• Appeared in 13 games, making six starts, in 2022.
• Earned All-Big Ten second team honors from the media and third team honors from the coaches.
• Claimed a spot on the ESPN.com, Pro Football Focus, On3 and 247Sports’ True Freshman All-American Teams.
• Tabbed an FWAA and College Football News Freshman All-American.
• Was a finalist for the Maxwell Football Club’s Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Award.
• Tallied 56 tackles with 10.5 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks.
• Is one of two Penn State freshmen to record 10+ tackles for loss and 6+ sacks in a season, joining Defensive Ends Coach Deion Barnes.
• Is one of eight linebackers (10 occasions) to post 10+ tackles for loss and 6+ sacks in a season at Penn State and the first since Dan Connor (15 TFL, 6.5 sacks in 2007).
• Finished fourth in the Big Ten in sacks (6.5), tied sixth in forced fumbles (2) and tied 11th in tackles for loss.
• Led Big Ten freshmen in sacks, tackles for loss and forced fumbles (2).
• Among FBS freshmen, was third in tackles for loss and tied for third in sacks.
• Tied for team lead with six tackles at Auburn, while adding a forced fumble and a sack.
• Led team with seven tackles against Maryland, adding a sack, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.
• Set career highs in tackles for loss (3) and sacks (2) against Michigan State.

Olumuyiwa Fashanu · Jr. · OL · 6-6 · 319 · Waldorf, Md. · Gonzaga College HS

• Also named to the Outland Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award watch lists.
• Voted a team captain for 2023.
• Named a Walter Camp second-team All-American in 2022 and recognized as a third-team All-American by Phil Steele.
• Earned second-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and third-team by the media.
• Collected the team’s Dick Maginnis Memorial Award for most outstanding offensive lineman.
• According to Coaches by the Numbers, allowed zero sacks and only 10 pressures on 281 pass blocking snaps last season.
• Two-time Academic All-Big Ten selection as a supply chain and information systems major.
• Helped Penn State to top the 400-total yard mark in five of his starts in 2022, including 477 at Auburn and 482 against Ohio State.
• With Fashanu paving the way, Penn State posted 234 rushing yards against Ohio, 245 rushing yards at Auburn and 220 rushing yards against Northwestern. The Nittany Lions rushed for five touchdowns at Auburn.
• Penn State threw for over 300 yards in four of Fashanu’s eight starts, including 308 at Purdue, 338 against Ohio, 304 against Minnesota and 371 against Ohio State.
• Helped Nicholas Singleton (1,061) and Kaytron Allen (867) become the first freshmen teammates in Big Ten history each with 700+ rushing yards in a season.

Chop Robinson · Jr. · DE · 6-3 · 250 · Gaithersburg, Md. · Quince Orchard

• Also named to the Bednarik Award and Bronko Nagurski Trophy watch lists.
• Has appeared in 25 games, making one start.
• Selected honorable mention All-Big Ten by the coaches and media in 2022.
• Named Pro Football Focus All-Big Ten second team.
• Earned the team’s Reid Robinson Outstanding Defensive Lineman Award, sharing with Adisa Isaac.
• According to Pro Football Focus, was the highest-rated edge rusher in the nation in 2022.
• Posted 26 tackles, including 10 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and three quarterback hurries.
• Named the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Week following the Ohio, Maryland and Utah games.
• Finished tied for seventh in the Big Ten in sacks (5.5) and tied for 15th in tackles for loss (10).
• Recorded a solo sack, forcing a fumble on the sack, and recovered a fumble at Auburn (9/17/22).
• Tipped a pass at the line of scrimmage which was picked off and returned 47 yards for a touchdown by Curtis Jacobs at Michigan (10/15/22). Added five tackles and a tackle for loss.
• Picked up two tackles for loss and a sack at Indiana (11/5/22).
• Tallied three tackles, including a career-high two sacks, against Maryland (11/12/22).
• Posted 1.5 sacks in the Rose Bowl Game against Utah (1/2/23).

The Lombardi Award will release its midseason watch list on Oct. 13. The award will announce its semifinalists on Nov. 1 and its four finalists on Nov. 15. The winner of the Lombardi Award will be revealed on Dec. 6.

Penn State Football Recognized on 2023 Preseason Watch Lists
Kaytron Allen: Doak Walker Award
Abdul Carter: Bednarik Award, Butkus Award, Lombardi Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award
Dante Cephas: Biletnikoff Award
Dvon Ellies: Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, Wuerffel Trophy
Olumuyiwa Fashanu: Lombardi Award, Outland Trophy, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
Curtis Jacobs: Butkus Award
Theo Johnson: Mackey Award
Kalen King: Bednarik Award, Jim Thorpe Award, Lott IMPACT Trophy, Bronko Nagurski Award
Chop Robinson: Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Award, Lombardi Award
Nicholas Singleton: Doak Walker Award, Maxwell Award, Paul Hornung Award, Walter Camp Player of the Year Award
Riley Thompson: Ray Guy Award

For more information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and reserving new season tickets for the 2023 Penn State Football season presented by PSECU, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.PSUnrivaled.com, call 1-800-NITTANY weekdays from 9 a.m.- 4 p.m.