PLAYER BIOS 37
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ALSTON
AMOS
KYLE
ADRIAN
5-9 ➤ 173 ➤ So./Fr. Eligible Cornerback ➤ Robbinsville, N.J. The tradition of academic excellence brought Kyle Alston to Penn State, but his love for playing football, and doing so the right way, is what earned him a spot on the roster. He participated in walkon tryouts during the 2014 spring semester and caught the eyes of the coaching staff as a player with the ability to provide depth and help the squad on special teams and in the secondary. Alston is among five Nittany Lion newcomers from New Jersey in 2014 and 16 overall football studentathletes on the roster from the Garden State. ➤ 2013 ➤ Freshman Season Alston attended classes on the University Park campus, but did not compete in football. He made the squad during walk-on tryouts during the 2014 spring semester. ➤ High School Alston was a three-year letterman at Robbinsville High School for head coach Jason Gray. He was a first-team All-West Jersey League Liberty Division pick as a sophomore and senior, missing most of his junior season due to injury. As a senior, Alston was a New Jersey Super 100 all-state selection and a Trenton Times Player-of-the-Week. He amassed 1,419 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns, which included 968 rushing yards on 90 carries, and added 60 tackles and one interception. Alston also was honored with the United States Marine Corps Distinguished Athlete Award in 2012-13. He was invited to participate in the Sunshine Football Classic and New Jersey North-South All-State game following his senior year. Alston also lettered in track and field. ➤ Personal
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Full name is Kyle Jerrel Alston. He is the son of David and Paula Alston, and has one older brother, Brian. His father, David, played football at Harvard and his brother played football at New Haven. He enjoys traveling, riding a jet ski and playing sports. He intends on majoring in criminology to pursue a career in law enforcement, like his father, who retired after serving with the New Jersey State Police. Born December 14, 1994 in Plainfield, N.J.
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RYAN
AMMERMAN
6-1 ➤ 220 ➤ So./Fr. Eligible Linebacker ➤ West Chester, Pa. Ryan Ammerman enters the season looking to add depth to the linebacker unit and crack the rotation or earn a spot on special teams. He played outside linebacker last spring after taking a redshirt season in 2013. Ammerman earned all-city honors at Malvern Prep in suburban Philadelphia and is among 15 returnees from Eastern Pennsylvania. ➤ 2013 ➤ Freshman Season Redshirt season. ➤ High School Ammerman was a three-year letterman for head coach Kevin Pelligrini at Malvern Prep. A standout at tight end and linebacker, he helped the Friars to the 2011 Inter-Academic League championship as a junior, compiling a 9-2 overall record and a 5-0 mark in league play. Ammerman earned AllInter-Academic League, All-City and All-Mainline honors as a senior after catching 22 passes for 399 yards and two touchdowns. He led the team with 11 catches for 194 yards and two touchdowns during his junior campaign. He also started at linebacker in his three seasons with the Friars and was a team captain his junior and senior seasons. The team MVP as a senior, Ammerman played in the Chesapeake Bowl. He also was a letterman on the basketball team. ➤ Personal Full name is William Ryan Ammerman. He is the son of Keith and Chyriese Ammerman. He is the oldest of three children, and has one brother, Riley, and one sister, Brynn. Ammerman earned academic First Honors and Second Honors in high school. He plans to enroll in the Smeal College of Business and is interested in owning a business. Born October 4, 1994 in West Chester, Pa.
PENN STATE FOOTBALL 2014
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6-0 ➤ 209 ➤ Sr./Sr. Eligible Safety ➤ Baltimore, Md. One of the Nittany Lions’ defensive stalwarts, the vastly talented and hard-hitting Adrian Amos is doing everything individually and as a team leader he can to help ensure that the team reaches its maximum potential this fall. The senior safety started all 12 games last season and has made 25 career starts, the highest total on the team. Amos should be an all-conference candidate after earning 2013 All-Big Ten honorable-mention accolades. He was named second-team preseason All-Big Ten by Athlon Sports and Phil Steele’s College Football Preview. Amos returned to safety this past spring after starting the final six games of last season at cornerback. He brings outstanding athleticism, skills, work-ethic and instincts to the field every day. Recognized as a team leader during off-season workouts, Amos ranked seventh on the team with 50 tackles (32 solo) last season. He also recorded 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks for minus-21 yards, five pass breakups and grabbed one interception. Amos’ commitment in the strength and conditioning program has seen him maintain his approximate playing weight from last year, while improving his speed and strength. His :4.45 40-yard time and 35.5-inch vertical jump were among the best on the squad through the spring. A fierce competitor, Amos posted a season-high eight tackles last season in the win over Illinois and tipped an end zone pass that was intercepted to end the game. A former Baltimore prep Defensive Playerof-the-Year, he also made a team-best eight hits in the win over Purdue, recording career-highs with 2.5 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks against the Boilermakers. Amos and Nittany Lion secondary mates Da’Quan Davis and Trevor Williams all played at Calvert Hall College High School in Baltimore. They are among seven returning Nittany Lions from Maryland. Amos is on schedule to graduate in December. ➤ 2013 ➤ Junior Season Amos earned the starting nod in all 12 games for the second-straight season, splitting time between safety and cornerback. He has made 25 starts, dating back to the 2011 season, starting the first six contests of the season at safety. Amos attained honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors, ranking seventh on the team with 50 tackles (32 solo), 4.0 tackles for loss and 2.5 sacks for minus-21 yards. He also had five pass breakups and grabbed one interception. Amos made three tackles and had a pass breakup in the season-opening win over Syracuse. He had four tackles against Eastern Michigan and three stops against UCF. In the third quarter at Indiana, Amos grabbed his fourth career interception, leading to a field goal. He also had one tackle and a pass breakup against the Hoosiers. Amos delivered an impressive performance in the four-overtime win over No. 18 Michigan