Posluszny Big Ten POW

Nittany Lion junior linebacker and team captain earns the award for the second straight week after nine-tackle showing in Penn State's destruction of Minnesota at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State linebacker Paul Posluszny has been named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for the second straight week. He shares the latest honor, which comes after the Nittany Lions pounded No. 18 Minnesota 44-14 at Beaver Stadium Saturday, with Iowa LB Abdul Hodge.

Posluszny, a junior, recorded nine defensive stops and 1.5 tackles for loss to spearhead a PSU defense that limited the explosive Minnesota offense to only two touchdowns in a battle of two unbeaten teams. The Gophers entered the game leading the country in rushing and ranking among the top 10 in total and scoring offense, but the Nittany Lions defense was up to the challenge.

Penn State opened the game by forcing three straight three-and-outs and did not give up a first down until the second quarter. The Nittany Lions limited the visitors to only 113 yards on the ground, more than 200 yards below Minnesota’s average of 326.5 yards per game, and just 53 rushing yards in the first three quarters when the hosts built a 37-7 lead. In addition, the Gophers were held to 287 yards of total offense (more than 250 yards below their average of 558.0 yards per contest) and 14 points (more than 30 points below their average of 46.2 points per outing).

Posluszny, who ranks third in the league with 11.4 tackles per game, is the first Nittany Lion to earn at least a share of back-to-back Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week laurels and collects the third such honor of his career.

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