Penn State Sports Magazine
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/155994
! " #" $ " %" ! " ! | NYEEM WARTMAN Bill Anderson t precisely 9:30 on the morning of Aug. 8, with head coach Bill O'Brien sitting just two spots to his left, a moment of clarity set in for Glenn Carson. For the first time in his career, Carson was sitting in the front row for Penn State's preseason team photograph. Having worked his way from the periphery of the Nittany Lions' linebacker rotation to the literal center of their defense this season, the fifthyear senior middle linebacker said the moment caught him by surprise. "It was definitely a little emotional," he said. "Taking that picture, sitting in the front row with all the seniors, it's kind of a reality check for me. I'm starting to realize that this is it and that everything I do from now on is going to be the last time I do it at Penn State." As he gets set to begin his final college season, Carson is hoping he saved his best for last. He's coming off a junior campaign in which he finished with 85 tackles, trailing only current NFL linebackers Gerald Hodges and Michael Mauti with 109 and 95 tackles, respectively. In July, he was named to the watch list for the Butkus Award, which is given annually to the nation's top linebacker, and most recently, NFL.com national draft writer Mike Huguenin tabbed him as a probable All-Big Ten selection at season's end. If all goes according to plan, he'll be joining his former teammates in the NFL a year from now. Carson's desire to reach the next level is readily apparent, but in order to have the type of season that turns a high-level prospect into a highround NFL Draft pick, he's going to need plenty of help. At linebacker this year, that's far from guaranteed. Although Carson is a three-year starter, the Nittany Lions' other projected first-team linebackers – redshirt junior Mike Hull on the strong side and redshirt freshman Nyeem