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M A T T H E R B | M A T T @ B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M N O V E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 5 B L U E W H I T E O N L I N E . C O M 13 MIDDLE MANAGER Austin Johnson focused on MSU in what may be his regular-season farewell Wondering how Austin Johnson proj- ects as a potential NFL draBee next spring? Ask his mother. Tammy Johnson has set up a Google alert keyed to Austin's name so that she can monitor all the online chatter he's been generating. As a result, she may have a better feel for his draB-worthiness than he does as he pre- pares for what is likely to be his final regular- season game with the Nittany Lions. "She sends me stuff and I look at it, but I just keep on going on about my day," the redshirt junior defensive tackle said. For now, he added, the focus is on figuring out a way to stop Big Ten East Division frontrunner Michigan State. "That's where I am right now. It's just about this team and making this year as good as it can be for the seniors by win- ning this game." A victory on Saturday would no doubt fill Tammy Johnson's in-box with notifi- cations, because the Spartans are fiBh in this week's College Football Playoff rank- ings and are favorites to defeat unranked Penn State and remain in contention for the national championship. And if the Nittany Lions were to pull off one of the season's biggest upsets, it would likely be because their defense found a way to turn the game into a low-scoring slugfest. And if it did become a low-scoring slugfest, Johnson would surely be one of the big reasons why. A 6-foot-4, 323-pounder from Gal- loway, N.J., Johnson is having a remark- able season for the Nittany Lions. Players at his position – the one-technique tackle spot – tend to be unsung-hero types who do the grunt work so that others can make the tackles and reap the glory. But John- son has been doing double-duty, occupy- ing blockers so that his teammates can make plays, while also making plays him- self. His 68 tackles rank third on the team and are tied for second among defensive linemen in the Football Bowl Subdivision. Included in that total are 13 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks. Impressively athletic for a player of his size, he's responsible for one of the more dramatic moments of the sea- son, a play in the fourth quarter of the San Diego State game during which he scooped up a fumble and returned it 71 yards for a touchdown to torpedo the Aztecs' comeback hopes. "Austin is a guy who is very well-re- spected," coach James Franklin said. "He's graduating [in December]. He's doing it in the classroom. He's been a great team- mate. He's been very, very productive on the field. I wouldn't say he's really out- spoken, but there are times where he does speak up. He's also a guy who I see in our offices all the time. He's always watching film and hanging out with the coaches. He's got a great relationship with Coach [Sean] Spencer. I have a great relationship with his family. I see his mom before al- most every single game going to the sta- dium. He's just a guy who is taking in the whole Penn State experience and doing really, really well with it." Johnson won honorable mention All- Big Ten notice as a sophomore and is likely to receive even higher honors this fall. In addition, he's on the watch lists for the Lombardi and Bednarik awards. And while postseason honors aren't what drive him, the Big Ten has, in its own way, helped inspire him to compete at a high level. "I watch a lot of film, and seeing other players not running to the ball on other teams, that motivates me," Johnson said. "I notice that stuff, and I want to run to the ball and make as many plays as I can for my team because if I don't, then I know that I'll be letting them down. I don't want to let our defense down or let the whole team down. If I don't run to the ball and try to make a play or make a dif- ference, not just in the middle but on the outside as well, that is letting my team- mates down." That approach has helped turn him into a highly marketable NFL prospect should he choose to come out early. He's the No. 7 defensive tackle in CBSSports.com's rankings and a projected second- rounder, while NFLDraBScout.com has him listed fiBh at his position. North- western coach Pat Fitzgerald called John- son and fellow defensive tackle Anthony Zettel "a nightmare," declaring them both to be first-round picks. While coaches are always effusive about players they are about to face, Fitzgerald's assess- ment may not be too far from the truth. Not that Johnson is paying any atten- tion. "I'm not really thinking about that at all," he said. "I'm just trying to play to the best of my ability and trying to end the regular season on a good note for these seniors. I'm just trying to play to the best of my ability and make every play that I can, just trying to make the biggest dif- ference that I possibly can on the field." Nassib named finalist for Bednarik Award Senior defensive end Carl Nassib has been named one of three finalists for the Bednarik Award, which goes to the col- lege defensive player of the year. Nassib and the other finalists – Temple's Tyler Matakevich and Alabama's Reggie Ragland – will be honored at the "ESPN College Football Awards Show Pre- sented by Home Depot" Dec. 10 in At- lanta. The show will air live on ESPN at 7 p.m. Nassib is also a finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy, Rotary Lombardi Award and Burlsworth Trophy. JOHNSON

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