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<p>Penn State&#8217;s offensive line rebounded in a major way from a humbling performance at Michigan. And according to one outlet, no Nittany Lion was more impressive up front than Connor McGovern.</p><p>The Lake-Lehman product was named to Pro Football Focus&#8217; national team of the week on offense on Monday, grading out as the <a href="https://www.profootballfocus.com/news/college-ncaa-week-11-team-of-the-week" target="_blank">second-best guard in the country</a> for his showing against Wisconsin on Saturday.</p><p>&#8220;McGovern was penalized once but was solid overall all afternoon long for the Nittany Lions,&#8221; the website wrote in its analysis. &#8220;On 36 pass-blocking snaps, he did not surrender a single QB pressure and his run-blocking grade of 80.8 was good enough for second.&#8221;</p><p>Central Michigan&#8217;s Shakir Carr was the only guard who graded out higher in the FBS ranks according to PFF&#8217;s metrics.</p><p>The pass blocking numbers especially stood out given that the Lions as a unit have allowed more pressures on the quarterback than most Big Ten teams &#8212; a growing concern considering that Trace McSorley is playing with an injured right knee.</p><p>McGovern and a reconfigured offensive line that swapped Will Fries and Ryan Bates at the tackle spots had a strong day overall against Wisconsin&#8217;s 3-4 scheme that was missing lynchpin nose tackle Olive Sagapolu. The group also paved the way for an excellent day by Miles Sanders, who ran for 159 yards to fuel the offense.</p><p><strong>Windsor gets the nod</strong></p><p>A more conventional award came on the other side of the trenches as defensive tackle Robert Windsor was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week for his memorable day against his home-state school.</p><p>Windsor had a career-high two sacks and tied a personal best with six tackles. A native of Fond du Lac, Wis., who didn&#8217;t receive a scholarship offer from the Badgers until after Penn State offered late in the recruiting process, Windsor relished the win on Saturday.</p><p>&#8220;It always feels good to win,&#8221; Windsor said. &#8220;But this one feels amazing.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Maryland kickoff set</strong></p><p>Penn State&#8217;s senior day game against Maryland on Nov. 24 will kick off at 3:30 p.m. on ABC, it was announced Monday. The Lions&#8217; regular season finale has typically been at 3:30 p.m. because the Ohio State-Michigan game is traditionally at noon, as it is again this season.</p><p>The Terrapins still need one win to reach bowl eligibility in an incredibly emotional season following the death of teammate Jordan McNair and subsequent firing of head coach DJ Durkin. The Terps host Ohio State this week.</p><p>Penn State&#8217;s game at Rutgers this Saturday will be a noon kickoff on the Big Ten Network.</p><p><strong>Esten leaving PSU</strong></p><p>The No. 2 administrator in Penn State&#8217;s athletic department is moving on.</p><p>Deputy athletic director and COO Phil Esten is leaving Happy Valley to become athletic director at his alma mater, the University of St. Thomas, a private Division III school in St. Paul, Minn.</p><p>Esten will remain at Penn State until the end of the football season. He had been at the school since 2014, when he followed athletic director Sandy Barbour there from Cal. Barbour and Esten had worked together for the last seven years.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;re grateful to Phil Esten for the incredible impact he&#8217;s had on Penn State, intercollegiate athletics, our students, and our community,&#8221; Barbour said in a statement. &#8220;Thrilled for Phil and his family for this opportunity at his alma mater.&#8221;</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Penn State junior Connor McGovern graded out as the second-best guard in the nation in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/web1_AP18309698574537-2.jpg</photo0><caption0>Penn State junior Connor McGovern graded out as the second-best guard in the nation in Week 11, according to Pro Football Focus. </caption0><photoCredit0>Paul Sancya | AP photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Derek Levarse</p><p>dlevarse@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Derek Levarse at 570-991-6396 or on Twitter @TLdlevarse</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Lake-Lehman’s Connor McGovern earns national honor for showing vs. Wisconsin