After an exciting win over Michigan State to clinch the Big Ten title, the Nittany Lions are heading to the Rose Bowl! Click here to stay tuned to the latest daily news about all things Penn State football.
Are you going to Pasadena? Let other brothers know, and make plans to get together in support of the Nittany Lions while you're out west. Want to find out if your old roommate is going, or would you like to rally up a group from your pledge class to make a trip? Get in touch with them using the online directory and start planning your Rose Bowl reunion.
In other Penn State football news, Joe Paterno was named Big Ten Coach of the Year. Continue reading for the full story...
Paterno named coach of the year
PARK RIDGE, Ill. - Penn State's Joe Paterno was chosen coach of the year, and a school record 10 players were selected first team All-Big Ten in voting by the conference coaches and media yesterday.
Ohio State linebacker James Laurinaitis repeated as defensive player of the year and Iowa's Shonn Greene captured best offensive player Monday when the All-Big Ten was announced.
Penn State center A.Q. Shipley is the offensive lineman of the year and Iowa defensive tackle Mitch King was selected as the top defensive lineman. Freshman of the year was Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor.
In addition to Shipley, five other Penn State players were selected to the first-team offense: senior tackle Gerald Cadogan, junior quarterback Daryll Clark, senior placekicker Kevin Kelly, senior guard Rich Ohrnberger, and senior wide receiver Derrick Williams.
Four Nittany Lions were named to the first-team defense: sophomore linebacker Navorro Bowman, sophomore defensive end Aaron Maybin, junior defensive tackle Jared Odrick and senior safety Anthony Scirrotto.
The 81-year-old Paterno underwent hip replacement surgery Sunday, a day after the Nittany Lions clinched a Rose Bowl berth by beating Michigan State. He led Penn State to an 11-1 record, even as he coached from the press box. Penn State went 7-1 in the league but had its national-title hopes dashed by a tough loss at Iowa.
Paterno won the Dave McClain Coach of the Year award from the media for the third time. He's the third three-time winner in league history, joining Michigan's Bo Schembechler, who won six, and Iowa's Hayden Fry, who was also honored three times.
Four Penn Staters earned second-team All-Big Ten honors and seven earned honorable-mention all-conference recognition.
Laurinaitis helped the Buckeyes to a share of the title with Penn State by averaging 10 tackles per game while becoming the third player in league history to win the award back-to-back. He joins Illinois' Dana Howard and Northwestern's Pat Fitzgerald. *
Story from Philadelphia Daily News.
