Penn State QB Christian Hackenberg Photo by: Michael Corsey @ Michael Corsey Photography

Hackenberg to forgo his final season of eligibility to enter the 2016 NFL Draft

JACKSONVILLE, Fla.; Jan. 2, 2015 – Quarterback Christian Hackenberg (Palmyra, Va.) will forgo his final year of eligibility with Penn State to enter the NFL Draft. Penn State’s all-time leading passer has started all 38 games of his career since his true freshman year. Hackenberg leaves Penn State at the top of all passing categories, including passing yards (8,457) and touchdowns (48).

“I would like to thank Coach [Bill] O’Brien for bringing me here [to Penn State], and his staff. It’s tough to say, but without him I probably wouldn’t have been here,” said Hackenberg. “I want to thank the fans and you guys for always being there and challenging me at times, and making me better. I think the fans, the alumni and the lettermen mean so much to this place, and it is a really special place. It’s tough at times; they bleed blue and white, and so do we.”

“Christian bled Blue and White from the time he stepped on campus three years ago,” Head Coach James Franklin said. “He will certainly be remembered as one of the best quarterbacks in program history. But for all of his accomplishments on the field, he will be also be remembered for his leadership off the field during a trying time in program history. Christian has the tools to excel at the next level and the future is bright for this young man.”

The native of Palmyra, Virginia leaves Penn State with this name etched at the top of the career passing record books. Heranks first in Penn State history in career passing yards (8,457), touchdowns (48), 300-yard passing games (9), 200-yard passing games (21), attempts (1,235), completions (693) and total offense (8,215). Hackenberg is the only quarterback in program history with 8,000 yards passing and three 2,000-yard passing seasons. He is one of just eight Penn State quarterbacks to top the 5,000-yard mark, one of three to surpass the 6,000 career passing yards and joins Mills as the only 7,000-yard passers in PSU history.

Additionally, Hackenberg owns the Penn State record for passing yards in a game (454; 2014), passing yards in consecutive games (773; 2014), pass attempts in a game (55; 2013), season completions (270; 2014 – tied with Matt McGloin) and pass attempts in a season (484; 2014).As a freshman, Hackenberg broke one Penn State overall passing record and 12 school freshman passing records, including the rookie marks for game and season passing completions, attempts, yards and touchdown passes.

Starting as a true freshman in 2013, Hackenberg has started all 38 games of his career under center. This season, Hackenberg has six 200-yard passing games, including a 315-yard performance against Maryland. He finished the season 192-for-359 for 2,525 yards. He passed for 16 touchdowns, while throwing just six interceptions.

Hackenberg completed 21-of-35 passes for 296 yards and three touchdowns against San Diego State and followed that up by accounting for four touchdowns (2 passing, 2 rushing) and 283 yards of total offense against Indiana. He completed passes to eight different receivers while throwing for 262 yards. He hooked up with DaeSean Hamilton and Brandon Polk on separate 39-yard touchdown passes and then rushed for 1-yard and 5-yard scores.

Against Illinois, Hackenberg completed 21-of-29 passes for 266 yards and two touchdowns. He also caught his first career pass, a 14-yard catch-and-run for a touchdown versus Illinois, marking the first catch by a Nittany Lion quarterback since 2011 (Matt McGloin from Curtis Drake; Nebraska) and first TD reception by a Penn State quarterback 2004 (Zack Mills from Michael Robinson; Akron). Hackenberg became the first Big Ten quarterback since 2010 (Terrelle Pryor, Ohio State) with multiple touchdown passes and a touchdown reception in the same game with his effort against the Illini.