The Jim O'Hora Award is presented to a defensive Penn State Nittany Lions football

Penn State Nittany Lions football

The Penn State Nittany Lions football team represents the Pennsylvania State University in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the Big Ten Conference. It is one of the most tradition-rich and storied college football programs in the...

 player for "exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude, and improvement" during spring practice each year. The award honors former Nittany Lion assistant coach Jim O'Hora

Jim O'Hora

James Joseph O’Hora was an American college football coach for over 30 years.-Early years:O’Hora was born in Dunmore, Pennsylvania. His father, Michael, was an immigrant from Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland who entered the United States through Ellis Island. His mother, Mary Butler O’Hora, was also...

 who served the team for 31 years before retiring in 1977.

Previously, defensive players were eligible for the Red Worrell Award

Red Worrell Award

The Red Worrell Award is presented to an offensive Penn State Nittany Lions football player for "exemplary conduct, loyalty, interest, attitude, and improvement" during spring practice each year. First awarded in 1958, the award honors former Nittany Lion fullback Robert T...

 until 1976, after which the O'Hora Award was created as a separate award for defensive players.

Recipients

Year	Player	Position
1977	Joe Lally	Defensive end
1978	Karl McCoy	Cornerback
1979	Gene Gladys	Linebacker
1980	Grover Edwards	Safety
1981	Walker Lee Ashley Walker Lee Ashley Walker Lee Ashley is a retired American football linebacker who played in the National Football League.-College career:Ashley was a member of the 1982 Penn State National Championship team.-Pro career:...	Linebacker
1982	John Luton	Defensive end
1983	Brad Saar	Linebacker
1984	Bob White	Defensive end
1985	Chris Collins Tim Johnson Tim Johnson (football) Timothy Johnson is Senior Pastor at Orlando World Outreach Center in Orlando, Florida and a former professional American football defensive lineman in the National Football League.-College career:...	Linebacker Defensive lineman
1986	Mike Beckish	Linebacker
1987	Quintus McDonald Quintus McDonald Quintus Alonzo McDonald is a former American football linebacker who played professionally in the National Football League.-Early years:...	Linebacker
1988	Andre Collins Andre Collins Andre Pierre Collins is a former American football linebacker who played ten seasons in the National Football League. He started in Super Bowl XXVI for the Washington Redskins...	Linebacker
1989	Jorge Oquendo	Defensive Tackle
1990	Keith Goganious Keith Goganious Keith Lorenzo Goganious is a college football coach. As of October 2009 is serving as Assistant Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator/linebacker coach at Hampton University. Goganious played linebacker in the NFL for five seasons with the Buffalo Bills, Jacksonville Jaguars, and Baltimore Ravens...	Linebacker
1991	Mark Flythe	Defensive end
1992	Vin Stewart	Defensive tackle
1993	Tony Pittman	Cornerback
1994	Chris Mazyck	Defensive tackle
1995	Shino Prater	Cornerback
1996	Matt Fornadel Chris Snyder	Defensive end Defensive end
1997	Mike Buzin	Defensive lineman
1998	Jason Wallace	Defensive tackle
1999	Askari Adams	Safety
2000	Bruce Branch Bruce Branch Bruce Lamont Branch is a former American football cornerback in the National Football League for the Washington Redskins. He played college football at Penn State University....	Cornerback
2001	Michael Haynes	Defensive tackle
2002	Anthony Adams Anthony Adams Anthony "Spice" Adams is an American football defensive tackle for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League. He previously played for the San Francisco 49ers...	Defensive tackle
2003	Andrew Guman Matthew Rice Matthew Rice Matthew Nathaniel Rice is an American football player, best known for playing the defensive end position. He played collegiately at Penn State University and attended Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland.-Football:...	Safety Defensive end
2004	Tim Shaw	Linebacker
2005	Jay Alford Jay Alford Jason Jamaal Alford is an American football defensive tackle who is currently a free agent. He was drafted by the New York Giants in the third round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Penn State....	Defensive tackle
2006	Dontey Brown	Linebacker
2007	Lydell Sargeant	Cornerback
2008	Abe Koroma	Defensive tackle