Skip to main content

2020 Pac-12 Football All-Conference honors and annual awards announced

Dec 22, 2020
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.
 
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.
 
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.

2020 ALL-PAC-12 CONFERENCE FOOTBALL TEAM

  First Team Offense     Second Team Offense
QB Kedon Slovis, So., USC QB Sam Noyer, Sr., Colorado
RB Jarek Broussard, So., Colorado   QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Jr., UCLA
RB Jermar Jefferson, Jr., Oregon State   RB Demetric Felton, Sr., UCLA
WR Simi Fehoko, Jr., Stanford   RB Ty Jordan, Fr., Utah
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jr., USC   WR Drake London, So., USC
TE Cade Otton, Jr., Washington   WR Tyler Vaughns, Sr., USC
      TE Greg Dulcich, So., UCLA
OL Drew Dalman, Sr., Stanford   TE Brant Kuithe, Jr., Utah
OL Nathan Eldridge, Sr., Oregon State      
OL Nick Ford, Jr., Utah   OL Alex Forsyth, Jr., Oregon
OL Jaxson Kirkland, Jr., Washington   OL Joshua Gray, Fr., Oregon State
OL Alijah Vera-Tucker, Jr., USC   OL Sataoa Laumea, Fr., Utah
OL Dohnovan West, So., Arizona State   OL Abe Lucas, Jr., Washington State
      OL Will Sherman, Jr., Colorado
  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.

ALL-PAC-12 HONORABLE MENTION

ARIZONA: RB Gary Brightwell, Sr.; DB Lorenzo Burns, Sr.; K Lucas Havrisik, Sr.; DL Roy Lopez, Sr.; LB Anthony Pandy, Sr.
 
ARIZONA STATE: OL Kellen Diesch, Grad.; DB Evan Fields, Sr.; DL Jermayne Lole, Jr.; LB Kyle Soelle, Jr.; RB Rachaad White, Jr.
 
CALIFORNIA: WR Kekoa Crawford, Sr.; OL Jake Curhan, Sr.; LB Kuony Deng, Sr.; DB Josh Drayden, Sr.; DL Brett Johnson, So.; DL Zeandae Johnson, Sr.; WR/RS Nikko Remigio, Jr.; OL Michael Saffell, Sr.; TE Jake Tonges, Jr.
 
COLORADO: OL Frank Fillip, So.; DL Terrance Lang, Jr.; DB Isaiah Lewis, Jr.; OL Casey Roddick, So.; RS Dimitri Stanley, So.; LB Carson Wells, Jr.
 
OREGON: OL Malaesala Aumavae-Laulu, Jr.; OL T.J. Bass, Jr.; RB Travis Dye, Jr.; DL Austin Faoliu, Sr.; DB Jamal Hill, So.; WR Johnny Johnson III, Sr.; LB Noah Sewell, Fr.; LB Isaac Slade-Matautia, Jr.
   
OREGON STATE: RS Champ Flemings, Jr.; DB Jaydon Grant, Jr.; DL Isaac Hodgins, Jr.; AP/ST Jesiah Irish, So.; OL Nous Keobounnam, Sr.; TE Teagan Quitoriano, Jr.; LB Hamilcar Rashed Jr., R-Sr.; DL Simon Sandberg, Jr.; LB Omar Speights, So.; DB Nahshon Wright, Jr.
 
STANFORD: DB Malik Antoine, Sr.; RB Houston Heimuli, Sr.; RB Austin Jones, So.; DB Kyu Blu Kelly, So.; QB Davis Mills, Sr.; RS Nathaniel Peat, So.; LB Curtis Robinson, Sr.; OL Walter Rouse, So.; P Ryan Sanborn, So.; DL Thomas Schaffer, Sr.; WR Michael Wilson, Jr.
 
UCLA: DB Stephan Blaylock, Jr.; LB Caleb Johnson, Jr.; DB Qwuantrezz Knight, Sr.; OL Sam Marrazzo, Jr.; WR/RS Kyle Philips, So.
 
USC: DL Nick Figueroa, Jr.; DB Olaijah Griffin, Jr.; P Ben Griffiths, So.; K Parker Lewis, Fr.; OL Jalen McKenzie, Jr.; OL Brett Neilon, Jr.; DB Isaiah Pola-Mao, Jr.
 
UTAH: WR Britain Covey, Jr.; DB JaTravis Broughton, So.; ST Keegan Markgraf, Sr.; LB Nephi Sewell, Jr.
 
WASHINGTON: OL Henry Bainivalu, Jr.; OL Victor Curne, So.; AP/ST Kyler Gordon, So.; QB Dylan Morris, R-Fr.; OL Luke Wattenberg, Sr.
 
WASHINGTON STATE: WR Renard Bell, Sr.; OL Brian Greene, Jr.; WR Travell Harris, Jr.; DB Daniel Isom, Sr.; DL Brennan Jackson, R-So.; K Blake Mazza, Jr.; OL Liam Ryan, Sr.; DB Jaylen Watson, R-Jr.; LB Jahad Woods, Sr.