Penn State offensive tackle Olu Fashanu has been named the Big Ten’s Offensive Lineman of the Year and a unanimous first-team all Big Ten selection, the conference announced Wednesday afternoon.
𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙨 to the 2023 Rimington-Pace Offensive Lineman of the Year recipient – @PennStateFball’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu pic.twitter.com/LZCZPwK2Vr
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 29, 2023
The #B1G Conference Announces Football All-Conference Teams for Offense and Select Individual Honors https://t.co/tqCqXJ5DgQ
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) November 29, 2023
Fashanu is just the second Penn State player ever to win the award and the first tackle.
Center A.Q. Shipley won it in 2008, the same year he won the Rimington Trophy presented annually to the nation’s best center.
Fashnau wasn’t one of the three finalists for the Outland Trophy given to the nation’s top lineman, but did have another great season for Penn State.
He would have almost certainly been a first-round pick had he declared for the 2023 Draft, but surprised a lot of people by staying in school. Now, he’s months away from being drafted in the first-round, maybe even in the top three.
Fashanu also made unanimous first-team all-Big Ten, a year after being named to the second team in a decision that many felt was a snub. He’s the only Penn State offensive player to receive first-team honors. On the second-team, Fashanu’s line mate, center Hunter Nourzad, was a unanimous selection and running back Kaytron Allen was selected by the coaches. Allen’s backfield and classmate, Nicholas Singleton, was a unanimous third-team selection, and tight end Tyler Warren was selected by the coaches. The media poll had Allen as a third-team all-conference performer, a notch below where the coaches had him.
Penn State’s starting quarterback, Drew Allar, was named to the honorable mention team, as was his No. 1 receiver, KeAndre Lambert-Smith. Offensive guard JB Nelson also made it, despite being hindered by injury. Fellow left guard Vega Ioane made honorable mention, as did right guard Sal Wormley and tight end Theo Johnson. Only the media pool has an honorable mention, and Warren made it to that team in its voting.
