Penn State senior defensive end Carl Nassib was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year on Monday evening despite not being named Big Ten defensive linemen of the year. That honor went to Ohio State’s Joey Bosa.
Nassib is a finalist for a quartet of national awards – Lombardi Award (nation’s top lineman or linebacker), Nagurski Trophy (nation’s top defensive player), Bednarik Award (nation’s top defensive player) and Burlsworth Trophy (top player that started his career as a walk-on).
Despite playing only six snaps in the last two games due to injury, Nassib leads FBS in sacks (15.5) and forced fumbles (6) and is second in FBS and first in the Big Ten in tackles for loss (19.5). With one sack at Northwestern, Nassib broke the Penn State single-season sacks record by upping his total to 15.5. He surpasses the mark of 15 sacks set by Larry Kubin (1979) and Michael Haynes (2002).
