2022 Hall of Fame Ballot Names Four Former Lions

posted June 3, 2021 in CommRadio, Sports by Emma Holtz

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa - Big news arrived for four former Nittany Lions Wednesday. The National Football Foundation’s College Hall of Fame Ballot named lettermen Paul Posluszny, Steve Wisniewski and LaVar Arrington as candidates for the Class of 2022. Late coach Glenn Killinger also is eligible for the divisional coach Class of 2022.

The three former Nittany Lion athletes and one coach will potentially solidify their place in history along with 19 former Penn State athletes and five coaches already inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Here is some background on each of the potential inductees:

Pittsburgh native LaVar Arrington played outside linebacker for Penn State and earned the title of a first-team All-American in 1998 as well as 1999. Arrington received recognition from a variety of organizations such as Sporting News, Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America and more throughout his career.

Selected second overall in the 2000 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, Arrington’s resume coming into the pros included Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year in 1998 as a Penn State sophomore and a 1999 season compiling 72 tackles, nine sacks, two fumble recoveries with one resulting in a touchdown and two blocked kicks.

Paul Posluszny also played outside linebacker for Penn State and was named a first-team All-American in 2005 and 2006. The Aliquippa native also received the Butkus Award, which is awarded to the nation’s best linebacker. He was also a finalist for the honor in 2006.

Starting the final 37 games of his college career, Posluszny became the first Nittany Lion to lead the Penn State roster in tackles on three separate occasions and post three impressive 100-tackle seasons.

The Buffalo Bills drafted Posluszny with its second pick of the second round in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played in Buffalo between 2007 and 2010 as well as in Jacksonville with the Jaguars between 2011 and 2017.

Steve Wisniewski would become an All-Pro lineman for the NFL, but his roots began in State College, Pennsylvania with Penn State Football.

A starter for three years in the guard position, he was one of two sophomores who played during the 1986 National Championship and paved the way for first-team All-American running backs D.J. Dozier and Blair Thomas during his career.

Wisniewski earned Penn State’s team MVP honor as just one of two offensive linemen to receive the honor since its inception in 1978. He also became a team captain in 1988.

His family is filled with football talent. His older brother Leo was a Nittany Lion defensive lineman from 1979 to 1981 while nephew Stefan started on Penn State’s offensive line for three years.

Selected as a player into the Hall of Fame Class of 1966, Glenn Killinger was a Penn State student-athlete and Walter Camp All-American quarterback for the Blue and White in 1921.

Originally from Harrisburg, Killinger coached at numerous institutions such as Dickinson, Moravian, Rensselaer and West Chester between the years of 1922 and 1959. Most notably during his time at West Chester, Killinger became the winningest coach in the program’s history.

He passed away in 1988 and is a member of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame.

Criteria for the Hall of Fame Ballot for players includes eligibility after 10 full seasons after his last intercollegiate football season played. The player must have been named as a first-team All-American by an organization recognized by the NCAA.

Coaches are eligible after three full seasons after his retirement or immediately after retiring barring that the coach is 70 years of age. Active coaches 75 years of age or older will become eligible immediately.

Emma Holtz is a sophomore majoring in public relations. To contact her, email exh5337@psu.edu.