2020 Pac-12 All-Conference Football Team
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For Immediate Release: Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020 Contact // Josh Ishoo ([email protected]) 2020 Pac-12 Football All-Conference honors and annual awards announced Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Jarek Broussard, Colorado Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year: Talanoa Hufanga, USC Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Ty Jordan, Utah Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Noah Sewell, Oregon Coach of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Karl Dorrell, Colorado SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 has announced the 2020 Football All-Conference honors as well its annual performance awards and yearly recognitions. First team honors were nearly even across the Pac-12 North (13) and Pac-12 South (14), as South Division Champion USC led the way with five honorees, followed by WASHINGTON and UTAH who each had four selections. In total, across both first and second team selections, USC led the way with nine honorees, followed by Utah (eight), COLORADO (seven), Washington (six), ARIZONA STATE (five) and STANFORD (five). Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Jarek Brousssard, RB, Colorado Broussard led the Buffs offense by rushing for 813 total yards on 129 attempts through Colorado’s five games and was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week, presented by Nextiva, three times in 2020, the most of any player over the seven-game season. He is the first Colorado player (offensive or defensive) to earn a Pac-12 player of the year honor. • On Dec. 5, in the Buffs’ 24-13 win at Arizona, he ran for 301 yards on 25 attempts, the fourth 300- yard rushing game in school history and first since 2002, including 155 rushing yards in the second quarter alone, a school record for most in a single quarter. • Started his career by rushing for over 100 yards in each of Colorado’s first four games this season, the first player to do so in school history. • Broussard is the first FBS player to start his career with four games of 100+ rushing yards since Oklahoma’s Adrian Peterson did so in 2004 (did so in his first nine games). • In the Buffs season-opener against UCLA, he ran for 187 yards and three touchdowns, the most yards ever by a Buff in their collegiate debut and the most by a Pac-12 player in their debut since 2011. His three rushing touchdowns that day tied a Colorado record for most in a running back’s debut. - more - Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year: Talanoa Hufanga, S, USC Hufanga, a preseason first-team selection, led all Pac-12 defenders with four interceptions on the year (returned for 90 total yards) as well as 40 solo tackles. He is the first Trojan to win the Pac-12’s top defensive honor since Adoree’ Jackson in 2016. • On Dec. 12 vs. rival UCLA, he registered 17 total tackles, two for a loss, one forced fumble and one interception, the most tackles in a game by a USC player since he had 18 last year against the Bruins. • Named Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week, presented by Nextiva, following his performance against UCLA. • Had four-straight games with an interception this season, the first Trojan with an interception in four- straight since Sammy Knight in 1996 and the first Pac-12 player to do so since WASHINGTON STATE’s Deone Bucannon in 2013. • His 62 total tackles on the year ranked third-most in the Pac-12 and led all defensive backs. He had 10-or-more tackles in four of six games. Freshman Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Ty Jordan, RB, Utah Jordan finished the season by rushing for over 100 yards in each of his last three games, with the Utes going 3-0 over that span. He is the first Ute to earn a freshman of the year award and only the second Ute to win any of the league’s yearly awards (also, Zack Moss earned 2019 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year). • Overall, he ran for 597 yards on 83 carries with six rushing touchdowns, in addition to 11 catches for 126 yards for 723 total yards on the year, playing in just five games. • His 597 rushing yards ranked fourth best overall in the league while his six rushing touchdowns ranked third best overall. • Ranked 11th across FBS and third in the Pac-12 (led all freshman) in rushing yards per carry (7.1) and ninth in FBS and third in the Pac-12 (led all freshman) in rushing yards per game (119.4). • He is the first Ute freshman to have three-straight 100-yard rushing games since 1995. • In Utah’s comeback victory over Washington State to close out the season he ran for 154 yards with three rushing touchdowns, the first Ute to have three rushing touchdowns in a game since 2018. • He finished the year ranked second among freshman across the FBS in all-purpose yards per game (144.6). Honorable Mention: Chip Trayanum, RB, Arizona State; Damien Moore, RB, California; Brenden Rice, WR, Colorado; Dylan Morris, QB, Washington; Jayden de Laura, QB, Washington State. Freshman Defensive Player of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon Sewell started off his collegiate career strongly by recording four-or-more tackles and a tackle for loss in four of his first five games to go along with a pair of sacks and a forced fumble. • He is the second-straight Oregon player to earn the award (also, Kayvon Thibodeaux in 2019). • He led all Pac-12 freshman in tackles (38) and tackles for loss (5.0). • Is one of just two Oregon freshmen since 2000 to have double-digit tackles and at least two tackles for loss in a game (also, Troy Dye). • Currently on the FWAA Freshman All-American watch list. Honorable Mention: Christian Gonzalez, CB, Colorado; Alex Austin, DB, Oregon State; Levani Damuni, LB, Stanford; Tuli Tuipulotu, DL, USC; Nate Ritchie, DB, Utah. - more - Coach of the Year, presented by Nextiva: Karl Dorrell, Colorado Coach Dorrell earns the league’s top coaching honor for the second time after leading the Buffs to a 4-1 record and a trip to the Valero Alamo Bowl on Dec. 29 (also shared the award with USC’s Pete Carroll in 2005 for UCLA). • This is the second time a Colorado coach has won the Pac-12 Coach of the Year award (also, Mike MacIntyre in 2016). • The Buffs had their first winning season since 2016, starting their season 4-0 for the first time since 2018 and 3-0 in conference play for the first time since 2002 (first 3-0 in conference play ever in the Pac-12). • Coach Dorrell is the first Pac-12 coach to win the yearly honor in their first year as head coach of the team since 2009 when Chip Kelly won for Oregon. • The 15-year gap between earning the league’s top coaching honor is the longest for any two-time winner. The previous longest gap was eight years for UCLA’s Terry Donahue (1985 to 1993), who was Dorrell’s coach in college when Donahue won his first award in 1985. - more - 2020 ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM First Team Offense Second Team Offense QB Kedon Slovis, So., USC QB Sam Noyer, Sr., Colorado QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jr., UCLA RB Jarek Broussard, So., Colorado RB Demetric Felton, Sr., UCLA RB Jermar Jefferson, Jr., Oregon State RB Ty Jordan, Fr., Utah WR Simi Fehoko, Jr., Stanford WR Drake London, So., USC WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jr., USC WR Tyler Vaughns, Sr., USC TE Cade Otton, Jr., Washington TE Greg Dulcich, So., UCLA TE Brant Kuithe, Jr., Utah OL Drew Dalman, Sr., Stanford OL Alex Forsyth, Jr., Oregon OL Nathan Eldridge, Sr., Oregon State OL Joshua Gray, Fr., Oregon State OL Nick Ford, Jr., Utah OL Sataoa Laumea, Fr., Utah OL Jaxson Kirkland, Jr., Washington OL Abe Lucas, Jr., Washington State OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jr., USC OL Will Sherman, Jr., Colorado OL Dohnovan West, So., Arizona State First Team Defense Second Team Defense DL Osa Odighizuwa, Sr., UCLA DL Thomas Booker, Jr., Stanford DL Kayvon Thibodeaux, So., Oregon DL Mustafa Johnson, Sr., Colorado DL Marlon Tuipulotu, Jr., USC DL Tyler Johnson, Jr., Arizona State DL Zion Tupuola-Fetui, So., Washington DL Mika Tafua, Jr., Utah LB Nate Landman, Sr., Colorado (1) LB Cameron Goode, Sr., California LB Devin Lloyd, Jr., Utah LB Drake Jackson, So., USC LB Avery Roberts, Jr., Oregon State LB Edefuan Ulofoshio, So., Washington DB Camryn Bynum, Sr., California DB Deommodore Lenoir, Sr., Oregon DB Talanoa Hufanga, Jr., USC DB Chase Lucas, Sr., Arizona State DB Elijah Molden, Sr., Washington (1) DB Trent McDuffie, So., Washington DB Mykael Wright, So., Oregon DB Chris Steele, So., USC First Team Specialists Second Team Specialists PK Jadon Redding, So., Utah PK Jet Toner, Sr., Stanford P Michael Turk, Jr., Arizona State (1) P Oscar Draguicevich, Sr., Washington State RS Britain Covey, Sr., Utah RS D.J. Taylor, Fr., Arizona State AP/ST Thomas Booker, Jr., Stanford AP/ST Jaylon Jackson, Jr., Colorado RS=return specialist AP/ST=all-purpose/special teams player (not a kicker or returner) (1) Two-time first team selection No Tiebreaker: There was a tie for the quarterback for second team, so that team is represented with two quarterbacks. There was a tie for the tight end for second team, so that team is represented with two tight ends. There was a tie for the fifth offensive lineman for first team, so that team is represented with six offensive linemen.