UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State tackle Mike Farrell (Pittsburgh) and defensive end Sean Stanley (Rockville, Md.) have accepted invitations to play in all-star contests, raising the number of Nittany Lions playing in post-season games to five.
Farrell has been invited to play in the Casino Del Sol College All-Star Game in Tucson, Az. The contest will air at 9 p.m. Jan. 11 on ESPN3 (webstream).
Stanley will join Nittany Lion running back Michael Zordich in the NFL Players Association Collegiate Bowl. The game will begin at 6 p.m. Jan. 19 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. ESPN2 will televise the contest.
Farrell, Stanley and Zordich join defensive tackle Jordan Hill (Senior Bowl) and quarterback Matt McGloin (Texas vs. The Nation All-Star Challenge) as 2012 Penn State seniors invited to play in all-star games. Additional Nittany Lions are expected to receive and accept post-season invitations.
Farrell and Stanley helped Coach Bill O’Brien’s Nittany Lions earn an 8-4 overall record, with a 6-2 Big Ten mark, finishing second in the Leaders Division. The duo helped Penn State lead the Big Ten in total offense (437 ypg) in conference games and allow 17 points or less in six contests.
An honorable-mention All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and media, Farrell started every game this past season, with nine starts at right tackle and three at left tackle. He was instrumental in helping the Nittany Lions lead the Big Ten in total offense (437 ypg) in conference games and rank second in scoring offense (32.6 ppg) and second in pass offense (283.1 ypg) against Big Ten foes. Farrell helped Penn State gain more than 500 yards of total offense three times in conference play, topped by 546 yards against Indiana, its highest total against a Big Ten foe since gaining 557 yards against Michigan State in 2008.
Farrell helped McGloin break nine Penn State season and career passing records, Allen Robinson break the school season receptions mark (77) and Zach Zwinak to rush for 1,000 yards this season, gaining 100 yards or more in six Big Ten games.
Farrell was co-recipient of the team’s Richard Maginnis Award, presented to the squad’s top offensive lineman. A three-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Farrell brought a 3.40 grade-point average into the 2012 fall semester and graduated in December. The former Shady Side Academy standout was president of Penn State’s chapter of Uplifting Athletes the past two years.
Stanley also earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten accolades. He started 10 of 11 games played this past season, missing the Temple contest with a minor injury. Stanley was second on the team with 9.5 tackles for loss (minus-43), was tied for third with four sacks (minus-29), made 35 tackles, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery.
Stanley recorded a career-high seven tackles (four solo) vs. Ohio State, with 1.5 TFL and 0.5 sack. He made two hits in the 34-9 win at Purdue with a sack for minus-13 yards, and forced a fumble and had four tackles at No. 18 Nebraska, including 2.0 TFL. The former Gaithersburg High School standout made four stops (three solo), including a sack in the 45-22 win over Indiana and recorded 1.5 TFL, with a sack and a forced fumble in 24-21 Senior Day overtime win over Wisconsin.
Stanley was co-recipient of the team’s Reid-Robinson Award, presented to the squad’s top defensive lineman.
Led by first-year coach O’Brien, the ESPN and Maxwell Football Club Coach of the Year, the Nittany Lions won eight of their final 10 games, with the only losses coming against Big Ten division winners Ohio State and Nebraska. In the season finale, the Nittany Lions beat eventual Big Ten champion Wisconsin, 24-21, in overtime.
Season tickets are available for the 2013 season. The Nittany Lions will host three teams that finished in the 2012 BCS Top 25: Michigan (Oct. 12-Homecoming), Nebraska (Nov. 23) and Kent State (Sept. 21). Purdue, Illinois, Virginia and Eastern Michigan also will visit Beaver Stadium next fall.
For information on joining the Nittany Lion Club and purchasing season tickets, as well as club seating in Beaver Stadium, fans can visit www.GoPSUsports.com or call 800-NITTANY from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays.
Penn State Athletics is on Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/pennstatenittanylions) and Twitter (http://www.gopsusports.com/ot/twitter.html).