Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1512721
J A N U A R Y 2 0 2 4 13 W W W . B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M A total of 27 Penn State football players received at least one form of postseason recognition from the Big Ten in 2023, including two consensus first-team all-conference choices: offensive tackle Olumuyiwa Fashanu and defensive end Chop Robinson. Here are PSU's honorees: QB Drew Allar — honorable mention, coaches and media RB Kaytron Allen — second team, coaches; third team, media LB Abdul Carter — first team, coaches; second team, media DE Dani Dennis-Sutton — third team, coaches; honorable mention, media CB Johnny Dixon — third team, coaches; honorable mention, media DT Zane Durant — honorable mention, media DT Dvon Ellies — honorable mention, media OT Olumuyiwa Fashanu — first team, coaches and media PK Alex Felkins — second team, media; third team, coaches CB/PR Daequan Hardy — second team, coaches and media (PR); third team, coaches; honorable mention, media (CB) OT Olaivavega Ioane — honorable mention, media DE Adisa Isaac — first team, media; second team, coaches LB Curtis Jacobs — honorable mention, coaches TE Theo Johnson — honorable mention, coaches and media CB Kalen King — second team, coaches and media LB Kobe King — honorable mention, coaches and media WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith — honorable mention, coaches and media OG JB Nelson — honorable mention, coaches and media C Hunter Nourzad — second team, coaches and media S Jaylen Reed — honorable mention, coaches and media DE Chop Robinson — first team, coaches and media RB/KR Nicholas Singleton — third team, coaches and media (RB); honorable mention, coaches and media (KR) P Riley Thompson — honorable mention, coaches and media OT Caedan Wallace — honorable mention, coaches and media TE Tyler Warren — third team, coaches; honorable mention, media S Kevin Winston Jr. — honorable mention, coaches and media OG Sal Wormley — honorable mention, coaches and media PENN STATE PLAYERS EARN BIG TEN POSTSEASON HONORS Cristian Driver, Alex Bacchetta Enter Transfer Portal Football players from all over the country began entering the transfer portal when it opened on Dec. 4, and the list included three Nittany Lions: redshirt freshman wide receiver Cristian Driver, redshirt freshman punter Alex Bacchetta and walk-on cornerback Jace Tutty. Driver, the son of former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Donald Driver, had started his Penn State career as a cornerback but switched to offense during the 2023 offseason. He saw 27 of- fensive snaps at receiver this past fall according to Pro Football Focus, while also seeing 22 snaps on special teams. Driver finished the regular season with 1 catch for 8 yards and 2 special teams tackles. Coming out of Liberty Christian High School in Argyle, Texas, Driver held a four-star grade in the On3 Industry Ranking, checking in at No. 297 nationally. The 2022 recruit earned more than 40 scholarship offers before picking Penn State over Oklahoma, Texas A&M and Wisconsin. Most of the schools that pursued him liked Driver best as a defensive back, but he preferred to play receiver. "I just feel more confident at that position," he told BWI last spring. "Of course, my dad played that position. Coach [James] Franklin coached my dad at that position, so I think … I can pick up great knowledge from both of them." Driver's classmate Bacchetta came to PSU as a scholarship specialist in 2022. A native of Atlanta, he was considered the top punting prospect in the class by Kohl's Kicking. Bacchetta played against Maryland and Rutgers as a true freshman, averaging 40 yards on 4 punts. This year, he was beaten out for the starting job by Florida Atlantic transfer Riley Thompson and did not see action in any of the Lions' 12 regular-season games. Tutty joined the team as a walk-on in 2021. A native of Stroudsburg, Pa., he didn't see action during his first two seasons on campus. The redshirt sophomore played for the first time in Penn State's season finale Nov. 24 against Michigan State, receiving three snaps on special teams and three more at cornerback toward the end of the game. Tutty earned Academic All-Big Ten honors in 2022. Penn State Sets Date For 2024 Spring Game Penn State hasn't yet concluded its 2023 season, but it already has a date lined up for its next spring game. The 2024 edition of the Blue-White Game will take place April 13 at Beaver Stadium. The intrasquad scrimmage is tentatively scheduled to kick off in early to midafternoon. Details concerning parking and related events will be announced after the 2023 season. — Ryan Snyder Driver started out at Penn State as a cornerback but moved to wide receiver in 2023 and saw action in six games. PHOTO BY STEVE MANUEL