? 2017 ? Senior Season
Awards: Earned honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors from conference's media voters...Earned the Reid-Robinson Award, given to team's outstanding defensive lineman, at the annual team banquet...Selected to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
Season: Started all 13 games...One of 21 Penn Staters to enter the Fiesta Bowl having already earned a degree.
Akron (9/2): Made one tackle, combining with Torrence Brown on a second quarter tackle for loss...Also added a quarterback hurry in the first quarter...Was a part of a defense that logged 14.0 tackles for loss, the most since recording 15.0 vs. Temple in 2015...One of eight players to be a part of three-straight seasons with a shutout (Illinois, 2015; at Rutgers, 2016; Akron, 2017), marking the longest such streak since a three-year span from 1989-91...Part of a defense that logged a season-opening shutout for the first time since 2007 (FIU, 59-0). Pittsburgh (9/9): Logged two stops. Georgia State (9/16): Made a pair of tackles...A part of a unit that posted its second shutout of the season, marking the first time since 2009 a Nittany Lion defense posted two shutouts in a single season. at Iowa (9/23): Had one solo tackle. Indiana (9/30): Totaled four tackles...Recovered a third-quarter fumble, which was forced by Marcus Allen, for his first career fumble recovery. at Northwestern (10/7): Made three tackles. Michigan (10/21): Made four tackles...Logged a solo quarterback takedown in the fourth quarter...Part of a defense that held the Wolverines scoreless over the final 40:03 of the game...Part of a defensive line that earned the coaching staff's Defensive Player of the Week. at Ohio State (10/28): Totaled one tackle. at Michigan State (11/4): Posted three stops...Added one quarterback hurry. Rutgers (11/11): Registered two tackles. Nebraska (11/18): Had one tackle...Combined with Shareef Miller on a first-quarter stop behind the line of scrimmage. at Maryland (11/25): Made two stops...Added his second career pass breakup...Part of a defense that held the Terps scoreless in the first half, marking the seventh time in 2017 the Nittany Lion defense held an opponent scoreless in at least one half. vs. Washington (12/30): Made one tackle, a combined sack with Kevin Givens in the second quarter.
? 2016 ? Junior Season
Awards: Earned All-Big Ten honorable mention from the conference coaches.
Season: Started 13 games...One of 18 first-time starters in 2016.
Kent State (9/3): Made his first career start...Made two tackles...Combined with Antoine White for a fourth-quarter sack...Penn State’s seven sacks were the most since logging seven at Northwestern in 2011. at Pitt (9/10): Made one stop. Temple (9/17): Totaled a career-high seven tackles...Added a career-best 2.5 tackles for loss...Combined with Ryan Buchholz for a second-quarter sack...A part of a front seven that limited Temple to just 38 rushing yards, the fewest since holding Illinois to 37 yards on the ground in 2015...Was the coaching staff’s Defensive Co-Player of the Week with Brandon Smith. at Michigan (9/24): Had one tackle. Minnesota (10/1): Had two tackles...Combined with Brandon Smith for a tackle for loss in the first quarter. Maryland (10/8): Logged two tackles...A part of a defense that allowed 11 first downs...Helped limit Maryland to 14 points - all in the first half - 170 rushing yards and 270 yards of total offense, after the Terps entered averaging 43.2 points, 300.0 rushing and 466.2 yards of total offense per game. Ohio State (10/22): Notched one tackle, a combined tackle for loss with Jason Cabinda in the first quarter...Helped the defense hold Ohio State scoreless in two quarters for the first time since Michigan State in 2015, which was Ohio State’s last loss...Helped the defense to a season-high 11.0 tackles for loss, the most TFLs since posting 11.0 vs. Maryland in 2015...The 11.0 tackles for loss were the most yielded by the Buckeyes since giving up 11.0 vs. Alabama (2015). at Indiana (11/22): Had one tackle. at Rutgers (11/19): Ranked second on the team with four tackles...Combined with Koa Farmer on a tackle for loss in the second quarter...Helped hold Rutgers to just 87 yards of total offense, the fewest given up by Penn State in its Big Ten history and the fewest since 2006 vs. Temple (74)...The five first downs allowed are the fewest in B1G play in Penn State history and fewest since 2006 vs. Temple (2)...Aided the Nittany Lions in compiling nine tackles for loss, the eighth time in 2016 they recorded at least 9.0 stops behind the line of scrimmage...Was the coaching staff’s Defensive Player of the Week, along with the entire defensive backs unit. Michigan State (11/26): Sacked Tyler O’Conner in the fourth quarter for his lone stop of the game. vs. Wisconsin (12/3): Had two tackles. vs. USC (1/2): Made two stops.
? 2015 ? Sophomore Season
Season: Appeared in all 13 games.
Buffalo (9/12): Recorded two tackles. Rutgers (9/19): Made one tackle. San Diego State (9/26): Made two tackles. Army (10/3): Recorded one tackle. Indiana (10/10): Made one tackle. at Ohio State (10/17): Had one tackle. Illinois (10/31): Made one tackle...Had 0.5 tackle for loss...His TFL was a combined sack with Curtis Cothran. at Northwestern (11/7): Blocked an extra point attempt in the second quarter. Michigan (11/21): Recorded one tackle. at Michigan State (11/28): Made two tackles. vs. Georgia (1/2): Had one tackle.
? 2014 ? Redshirt Freshman Season
Awards: Selected honorable-mention Big Ten All-Freshman Team by BTN.com...Named Academic All-Big Ten for the first time in his career.
Season: Appeared in all 13 games...Made 11 tackles (eight solo) and recorded 2.5 tackles for loss (minus-6), including a 0.5 sack...Was a main cog in a defense that held 11 of its 13 opponents to under 300 yards of total offense and limited nine opponents to 20 or fewer points in regulation.
UCF (8/30): Made his collegiate debut during a goal line stand on the Knights’ second drive of the game in the Croke Park Classic in Dublin, Ireland. Akron (9/6): Made his first career tackle, a combined sack with Carl Nassib, in the first quarter. at Rutgers (9/13): Made two stops. UMass (9/20): Recorded a season-high three tackles, including 1.0 tackle for loss...Helped the Nittany Lions hold the Minutemen to just three yards rushing, the lowest total allowed by Penn State since 2007 against Notre Dame (zero rushing yards). at Michigan (10/11): Made two tackles, including one tackle for loss. Ohio State (10/25): Collected one stop. Temple (11/15): Recorded one tackle...Helped limit Temple to just 61 rushing yards and eight first downs, the fewest for a Penn State opponent since Indiana State had eight in 2011. at Illinois (11/22): Made one tackle...Helped limit the Illini to 68 rushing yards and 2-of-16 on third down conversions.
? 2013 ? True Freshman Season
Redshirt season.
? High School
A three-year letterman and standout at three positions for coach Matt Putnam at Hazel Green High School...Was a two-time captain...Lined up at defensive end, defensive tackle and offensive tackle during his career...Earned AHSAA 6A all-state honors during his final prep season...Was an AHSAA 6A All-Region 8 selection as a junior...As a senior, totaled 32 tackles with one forced fumble...Tallied 69 tackles, 5.0 sacks, two forced fumbles and one fumble recovery as a junior...As a sophomore, logged 64 tackles, 1.5 sacks, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery...Also lettered three times in basketball.
? Personal
Full name is Parker John-Oliver Cothren...Son of Greg and Gayle Cothren...Has two older brothers, Hudson and Mason, and an older sister, Maddie...Brother, Hudson, played baseball at the University of Alabama-Huntsville...Graduated in August 2017 with a degree in recreation, parks and tourism management...Working on second degree in criminology...Born January 23, 1994 in Huntsville, Alabama.