Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1482664
N O V E M B E R 2 0 2 2 6 1 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M NUMBER CRUNCHERS A succession of hard-hitting linebackers have donned Penn State's fabled No. 11 jersey, including the latest standout, freshman Abdul Carter A s a prep player at La Salle College High in Philadelphia, linebacker Abdul Carter twice won all-state recognition. He received an invitation to the All-American Bowl. He earned All-Philadelphia Catholic League honors three times, as well as a four-star rating in the On3 Consensus. All of those honors suggested that he had a chance to make an impact for Penn State as a true freshman this fall, but per- haps the surest sign that he was on the fast track was the honor he received when he arrived on campus: jersey No. 11. Penn State doesn't award that number randomly. It's been worn by All-Americans, Butkus Award winners and future NFL All-Pros. It has a history, and because of its hallowed past, the coaches tend to bestow it on players they believe have the potential to add to Penn State's illustrious Linebacker U legacy. Carter got on the field in the first half of his very first game, though his moment in the spotlight was brief. In the second quarter against Purdue, the 6-foot-3, 233-pound outside linebacker was flagged for targeting while trying to tackle Boil- ermakers receiver Tyrone Tracy Jr. After just one play, Carter's night was over. Two weeks later, though, he tied for the team lead with 6 tackles against Auburn, and coach James Franklin was effusive about his showing in Penn State's 41-12 romp. "Abdul flashes," Franklin told reporters after the game. "I know you guys have all seen it. We've been excited about him. He's so mature, picking things up quickly. He's fast, he's ag- gressive. "There's something about that No. 11," the coach added. "I'm not sure, but it's had a lot of success here at Penn State. I'm glad for the lettermen that wore it before him that he's representing it the right way." A Proud History LaVar Arrington is often cited as the first of Penn State's elite 11s. His signing predated the rise of internet-based re- cruiting services, but he would assuredly have been a five-star prospect coming out of Pittsburgh's North Hills High had such a designation existed in 1997. At PSU, he lived up to the hype. With his penchant for spec- tacular playmaking, he won first-team All-America honors in 1998 and '99 and claimed the Butkus and Bednarik awards in his final season, confirming his stature as one of Linebacker U's all-time best. Arrington headed to the NFL in 2000 as the No. 2 overall pick and played six seasons with Washington. He wore No. 56 in the pros, a nod to former New York Giants legend Law- rence Taylor, to whom Arrington had frequently been compared. While he won second-team All-Pro honors in 2001 and '03 and Carter was given No. 11 after arriving at Penn State this past summer. Through Penn State's first seven games, the true freshman ranked third on the team with 31 tackles including 19 solo hits, 3.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks. PHOTO BY DANIEL ALTHOUSE M AT T H E R B | M AT T. H E R B @ O N 3 . C O M "There's something about that No. 11. I'm not sure, but it's had a lot of success here at Penn State. I'm glad for the lettermen that wore it before him that he's representing it the right way." J A M E S F R A N K L I N O N A B D U L C A R T E R