One of Penn State football’s best players has appeared on yet another watchlist.
Thursday afternoon, word got out that Penn State OL Vega Ioane had been named to the Polynesian College Football Player of the Year watchlist, one of 81 players on the list.
It’s a well-deserved honor.
Ioane doesn’t get the same acclaim as teammates such as Drew Allar, Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen but he’s an integral part of coordinator Andy Kotelnicki’s operation. The 6-foot-4, 330-pounder is among America’s best at his position, and as a result, this isn’t the only watchlist he’s on.
He’s also a candidate for the Outland Trophy (best interior lineman on either side) and the Lombardi Award (best overall lineman on either side).
CBS Sports also named Ioane a first-team preseason All-American, and the Sporting News did the same.
The Walter Camp Football Foundation didn’t name Ioane to its first team but did name him to the second team.
Add Nittany Sports Now as a preferred source in Google! Click here to add us.Per its website, this award “honors the most outstanding college football player of Polynesian ancestry who exemplifies exceptional ability and integrity both on and off the field.”
Last season, a future first-round pick won it in Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan. Ioane is a projected first-rounder himself.
Other notable winners of the award include:
- Idaho guard and future All-Pro Mike Iupati
- Oregon QB and Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota
- USC WR and future Steeler JuJu Smith-Schuster
- Notre Dame OT and future All-Pro Ronnie Stanley
- Oregon DT and future All-Pro DeForest Buckner
- Alabama QB and future Dolphin Tua Tagovailoa
- USC safety and future All-Pro Talanoa Hufanga
- Oregon OT and future All-Pro Peni Sewell.
No Penn State player has ever won it.
No. 2 Penn State opens the season against Nevada Aug. 30 at Beaver Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 on CBS.
