| Nathan Stupar |
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It did not take long for Nate Stupar to demonstrate that he would be an impact player in his redshirt freshman season. In his second collegiate game, Stupar broke through the Oregon State punt protection unit and forced the Beavers' Johnny Hekker to run with the ball rather than booting it downfield. Stupar dropped him for a nine-yard loss and two plays later Evan Royster burst 28 yards to give Penn State a 21-0 lead en route to the 45-14 thumping. Stupar was a key contributor to the special teams unit last season and he should be among the top challengers for a starting linebacker assignment in 2009. Playing in every game, the athletic, instinctive and intelligent Stupar recorded 21 tackles and blocked two punts last season. After several near misses on punt block attempts, Stupar finally got one in the 46-17 win over Michigan. His third-quarter deflection gave Penn State excellent field position and resulted in a Kevin Kelly field goal. The former State College Area HS all-state selection recorded his second blocked punt against Indiana deep in Hoosier territory, resulting in a Kelly field goal that gave the Nittany Lions a lead they would not relinquish. Stupar is a talented, strong and versatile athlete who comes from a family with multiple ties to Penn State, including his father, Steve, who was a Nittany Lion lineman from 1976-79. Uncles Ron, Doug and Jeff Hostetler all played for Penn State in the same era. He is one of three returning Nittany Lions that played at State College Area HS. Stupar is a potential ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American®, candidate, owning a 3.49 grade-point average following the spring semester. He posted a superlative 3.85 GPA for the 2009 spring semester to again earn Dean's List honors.
2008 Sophomore Season
Stupar was a key contributor for the special teams and gained experience on defense. Playing in every game, he recorded 21 tackles, blocked two punts and forced another punter to abandon his kick. In his second collegiate game, Stupar broke through the Oregon State punt protection unit and forced the Beavers' punter to run with the ball. Stupar dropped him for a nine-yard loss and two plays later Evan Royster burst 28 yards to give Penn State a 21-0 lead en route to the 45-14 thumping. After several near misses on punt block attempts, Stupar finally got one in the 46-17 win over Michigan. He got a hand on a third-quarter punt, and it traveled only 12 yards. The deflection gave Penn State excellent field position and resulted in a Kevin Kelly 32-yard field goal for a 29-17 lead and a continuation of the game's momentum swing. Stupar recorded his second blocked punt against Indiana deep in Hoosier territory, resulting in a Kelly field goal and a lead the Lions would not relinquish in the 34-7 victory. Playing in every game and 290 snaps, Stupar made a season-high five tackles each against Coastal Carolina and Oregon State. He also had two stops each in the wins over Syracuse, Temple, Wisconsin and Indiana. He was on the field for a season-high 42 plays against Coastal Carolina. Stupar compiled a 3.58 grade-point average during the fall semester to gain Dean's List and Academic All-Big Ten honors.
2007 Freshman Season
Redshirt season. Stupar tied for game-high honors with six tackles in the 2008 Blue-White game.
High School
Rated among the nation's Top 10 defensive end/OLB prep prospects in 2006, Stupar was a versatile standout for Coach Al Wolski at State College Area HS. He played multiple positions during his prep career, including tight end, running back, receiver, linebacker and defensive end. Stupar was named the Pennsylvania Defensive Player-of-the-Year and the Mid-Penn Defensive MVP as a senior. He was selected first-team Associated Press all-state as a junior and senior. During his career, he recorded 192 tackles, including 31 sacks, and one interception. A team captain, he made 60 stops with eight sacks as a senior. Stupar was a prolific receiver, with 91 career catches for 1,388 yards and 18 touchdowns, including 39 grabs for 624 yards and eight scores as a senior. He also ran for 216 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns in 2006. A 2007 Big 33 selection, Stupar was instrumental in State College Area reaching the 2006 Pennsylvania Class AAAA state semifinals. An honor roll student, he also was a two-year starter for the basketball and lacrosse squads.
Personal
Full name is Stephen Nathan Stupar. He is the son of Stephen and Cher Stupar, both Penn State graduates. He has two brothers, Jonathan and Robby, and two sisters, Dyanna and Katlyn. His father was a lineman at Penn State from 1976-79. Jonathan played tight end at Virginia from 2004-07 and is in his second season with the NFL's Buffalo Bills. Katlyn played basketball at the Pennsylvania College of Technology, scoring more than 1,000 career points. Uncles Ron, Doug and Jeff Hostetler all played football for the Nittany Lions in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Jeff, who finished his college career at West Virginia, was a quarterback in the NFL with the New York Giants, Los Angeles/Oakland Raiders and Washington Redskins. Another uncle, Todd Hostetler, played baseball for the Nittany Lions, earning letters from 1981-85. A cousin, Bekah Hostetler, was a standout on the Penn State field hockey team from 2002-05. Also, a grandfather, Frank Stupar, played football at Tennessee. In his spare time. Stupar enjoys paintball and video games. Stupar is a media studies major interested in a career directing films or videos. Born March 14, 1988 in State College, Pa.
Stupar's 2008 Game-by-Game
Tackles (Total-Solo-Assists)
Coastal Carolina 5-2-3; Oregon State 5-3-2; Syracuse 2-2-0; Temple 2-1-1; Illinois 1-0-1; Purdue 0-0-0; Wisconsin 2-2-0; Michigan 0-0-0; Ohio State 0-0-0; Iowa 1-0-1; Indiana 2-0-2; Michigan State 1-0-1; USC 0-0-0.
