Allar, Carter Earn Semifinalist Nods – Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State junior quarterback Drew Allar was named a semifinalist for the Davey O’Brien Award, while junior defensive end Abdul Carter was selected a semifinalist for the Bednarik Award on Tuesday. Carter added two weekly national honors, earning Bednarik Award Player of the Week and Walter Camp Defensive Player of the Week.

The Davey O’Brien National Quarterback Award is presented annually to the nation’s best college quarterback and is the oldest and most prestigious national quarterback award.

The Chuck Bednarik Award is presented annually, by the Maxwell Football Club, to the outstanding defensive player in college football.

The Walter Camp Player of the Year is the fourth-oldest award in college football and is presented by David McDermott Lexus of New Haven.

Abdul Carter · Jr. · DE · 6-3 · 252 · Philadelphia, Pa. · La Salle College High School

• Selected semifinalist for the Lombardi Award and Lott IMPACT Trophy.
• Member of watch lists for the Bednarik Award, Bronko Nagurski Trophy and Walter Camp Player of the Year Award Watch Lists.
• Tabbed a Preseason All-American by the Action Network (1^st team), Associated Press (2^nd team), CBS (2^nd team), ESPN (2^nd team), The Athletic (2^nd team) and the Walter Camp Award.
• Garnered first-team All-Big Ten honors from the coaches and second-team from the media as a linebacker in 2023 and named second-team All-Big Ten by the media and third-team All-Big Ten by the coaches in 2022.
• Tabbed second-team All-American by Sports Illustrated.
• Made switch from linebacker to defensive end following 2023 season.
• Owns 144 tackles (85 solo), 31.5 tackles for loss, 19 sacks, five forced fumbles, an interception and 12 pass breakups in his third season in Happy Valley.
• Has six career games with 2+ tackles for loss and five games with 2+ sacks.
• In 2024, has 40 tackles (24 solo), 15.5 tackles for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles.
• Carter sits third in the FBS (1^st in B1G) with 15.5 tackles for loss and is 11^th nationally (2^nd) with eight sacks.
• Ranks fifth among Power Four defensive linemen, and second in the Big Ten, with 24 solo tackles.
• Against Kent State, tallied four tackles, including 1.5 tackles for loss and a sack.
• Notched a career-high four tackles for loss and two sacks, including a strip-sack, against Illinois.
• Earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, Senior Bowl Co-Defensive Player of the Week, Bednarik Award Player of the Week and Bronko Nagurski Trophy…