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Penn State Football

A Couple of Nittany Lions in the Running for National Awards

Photo by Penn State Athletics: Sean Clifford

Penn State football players have been raking in national award semifinalist honors this season, and a couple more Nittany Lions were named as their respective awards’ semifinalists Wednesday.

While it hasn’t been the easiest season for Lions’ redshirt senior quarterback Sean Clifford, he’s been honored for his off-field and academic success all season long. And that’s only continuing as the season rolls on.

Clifford was named a semifinalist for the 2021 Wuerffel Trophy, the honor given to the player in college football who best combines community service with academic and athletic success. Also known as College Football’s Premier Award for Community Service.

The other Wuerffel Award semifinalists are Boise State’s Kekaula Kaniho, BYU’s James Empey, Mississippi State’s Austin Williams, Stanford’s Isaiah Sanders, California’s Elijah Hicks, Georgia’s Nakobe Dean, Ole Miss’s Mac Brown, Oklahoma’s Patrick Fields, USC’s Mo Hasan, Virginia Tech’s Brock Hoffman and West Michigan’s Mike Caliendo.

Three finalists for the award will be announced on Nov. 23 before the winner is announced at the Home Depot College Football Awards Show on Dec. 9.

In other awards news, Lions’ senior long snapper Chris Stoll continued his extraordinary college career with a major award semifinalist honor.

Stoll, a former walk-on who earned his PSU scholarship, was named as a semifinalist for the 2021 Burlsworth Trophy — the award given to the most outstanding player in college football who began his career as a walk-on.

Stoll has been the Lions’ long snapper since the 2019 season, providing a steady hand to PSU special teams.

Stoll was one of 89 semifinalists from across college football’s FBS level. Three finalists will be announced at a later date before the winner is announced on Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Bridges Museum in Bentonville, Arkansas.

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