SAN FRANCISCO – The Pac-12 today announced its 2021 football season’s eighth weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week Eight’s recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:
OFFENSE: B.J. Baylor, RS Jr., RB, Oregon State (Wharton, TX)
- Second time that Baylor has won this award this season, having won it in Week Four.
- Ran for his fourth consecutive 100-yard game when he totaled 152 yards and one touchdown in the 42-34 win over Utah.
- Ran for a 68-yard rush in the second quarter, the longest play from scrimmage by a Beaver this season.
- Scored his 10th touchdown of the season, eight of which have come at home. His 10 rushing touchdowns lead the Pac-12.
- Per Pro Football Focus, 119 of his 152 yards came after contact, or 6.26 yards per rush. Seven of his 19 carries went for a first down.
Also nominated: Drake London, WR, USC; Anthony Brown, QB, Oregon; Chase Garbers, QB, California; Cameron Rising, QB, Utah; Max Borghi, RB, Washington State; Terrell Bynum, WR, Washington
Check out the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist, presented by Nextiva, to learn more.
DEFENSE & DEFENSIVE LINE: Kayvon Thibodeaux, So., DE, Oregon (South Central Los Angeles, CA)
- Only the second time since the Defensive Line award was created in 2019, that a player has won both awards in the same week with Utah’s Bradlee Anae winning both in October 2019. Its the third time that Thibodeaux has won a Pac-12 weekly award, winning the Defensive Line award once in each of the 2019 and 2020 seasons.
- A dominant force in Oregon’s 34-31 win at UCLA, setting career-highs with nine tackles (eight solo) and 4.5 tackles for loss while finishing with two sacks and a forced fumble.
- Recorded a whopping 10 total quarterback pressures, according to Pro Football Focus.
- Earned a stellar 91.2 pass-rush grade from PFF, and was Oregon’s highest-graded player overall at 84.2.
- First Oregon player with more than four TFLs in a game since Jalen Jelks on Sept. 23, 2017. First UO player since 2007 and one of just six in the FBS this season to have at least nine tackles, four TFLs and two sacks in a game.
- Now has 16.0 career sacks and 31.0 TFLs in his career.
Also nominated on Defense: Avery Roberts, ILB, Oregon State; Elijah Hicks, Safety, California; Mo Diallo, DL, Arizona; Brandon McKinney, Safety, Utah; Jordan Genmark Heath, LB, UCLA; Jahad Woods, LB, Washington State
Also nominated on Defensive Line: Mo Diallo, DL, Arizona; Keonte Schad, DL, Oregon State; Tuli Letuligasenoa, DT, Washington; JH Tevis, DE, California; Mika Tafua, DE, Utah
SPECIAL TEAMS: Luke Musgrave, So., TE, Oregon State (Bend, OR)
- Blocked a punt and then recovered it to score a 27-yard touchdown midway through the third quarter in Oregon State’s 42-34 win over Utah.
- The blocked punt for touchdown return gave the Beavers the lead for good. OSU scored 14 points later to extend the lead.
- Utah was punting from its own 37 when Musgrave blocked the punt.
- The touchdown marked the first of Musgrave’s career, offense, defense or special teams.
- First time an OSU player has won this award this season. Two Beavers won this award last season with Champ Flemings and Jesiah Irish both winning in November 2020.
Also nominated: Dario Longhetto, PK, California; Kyle Ostendorp, P, Arizona; Martell Irby, DB, UCLA; Josh Watts, P, Colorado
OFFENSIVE LINE: Nous Keobounnam, RS Sr., RG, Oregon State (Portland, OR)
- Made the start at right guard in the Beavers’ 42-34 win over Utah on Saturday night.
- Helped the OSU offense to 260 rushing yards. The Beavers have now rushed for 200 or more yards in six consecutive games, OSU’s longest streak since 1993.
- Made his 23rd all-time start and ninth consecutively.
- First time he’s won this award and second time an OSU player has won this season. Nathan Eldridge won it after Week Four.
Also nominated: T.J. Bass, OL, Oregon; Matthew Cindric, C, California; Josh McCauley, C, Arizona
FRESHMAN: Noah Sewell, Fr., ILB, Oregon (Malaeimi, American Samoa)
- Second straight week that Sewell has won this award, first player to win this award in consecutive week’s since Utah’s Ty Jordan won it the final 3 weeks of the 2020 season.
- Tied for the team lead with nine tackles (six solo) to help lead Oregon to a 34-31 win at UCLA. Also recorded a tackle for loss and broke up a pass.
- Led or tied for the team lead in tackles for the fourth time this year, all coming in the last five games. Leads the team with 63 tackles on the season, including 51 in the last five games.
- Earned a solid 82.4 tackling grade by Pro Football Focus.
Also nominated: Keleki Latu, TE, California
