Player Spotlight: Kent State DL Roosevelt Nix
Since 1889, 2,868 football players ranging 156 different schools have been named a member of at least one All-American first team. Only three players in the history of college football have received this honor four times, and this weekend the Nittany Lions will take on that potential fourth member.
Kent State defensive lineman, Roosevelt Nix has been named an All-American three years in a row and hopes to receive the recognition once again, during his final year in a Golden Flashes uniform uniform. If Nix is selected to his fourth All-American team, he will be the first player to obtain this distinction in 113 years and will join the company of Yale’s Frank Hinkey and Gordon Brown and Harvard’s Marshall Newell (names everybody surely knows).
Nix became a member of Golden Flash after graduating from Reynoldsburg High School in 2010. During his high-school career he was named OCC player of the year, second team all-state, first team all-district, and all-metro. As a junior, Nix recorded 84 tackles and eight sacks, and was selected to play in the Ohio North-South All-Star Game and in the Big 33 Game.
In 2010, Nix became the first freshman to be named MAC Defensive Player of the Year. During his first year with Kent State, Nix led the MAC with 20 tackles for a loss, while becoming a member of the MAC All-American first team. Nix’s sophomore year followed with countless awards, honors, and career-high stats. In 2011, he forced a team high three fumbles, scored his first touchdown, recorded a sack, two tackles for loss, and six total stops in a strong performance against Alabama.
The lineman compiled a similar and even longer list of achievements his junior year. Nix was placed on multiple “players to watch” lists and was voted captain by his coaches and teammates. During his junior campaign, Nix recorded 59 tackles and helped lead his team to an 11-3 record. In 2013, Nix took his team to the GoDaddy.Com Bowl where Kent State lost to Arkansas State 17-13.
This season, the talented no. 5 was named defensive captain for his team and has already been selected for Steele's Preseason All-American fourth team and Athlon & Phil Steele's Preseason All-MAC first team. Nix was also placed on the Nagurski, Outland and Bednarik Award watch lists for 2013. Nix has started off his senior season with eight tackles and one sack. He ranks fourth among Kent State career sack leaders with 20.5 and is second in Kent State tackles for loss with 55.
Nix and the Kent State Golden Flash face the Nittany Lions this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. on ComRadio.
Maddie Brightman is a freshman majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact her, email mvb5601@psu.edu.
