OFFENSE: Jayden Daniels, Fr., QB, Arizona State (San Bernardino, Calif.)
• Daniels, who was named the Named Walter Camp National Offensive Player of the Week, threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns in ASU’s 31-28 upset of sixth-ranked Oregon.
• In the first half, Daniels completed 12-of-14 passes for 191 yards and a touchdown with his two incompletions coming on the final drive of the half
• Daniels’ 57-yard touchdown strike to junior wide receiver Frank Darby in the first quarter passed Rudy Carpenter’s single-season school record for most passing yards by a true freshman quarterback (2,273 yards) set in 2005.
• In the second half, Daniels threw for 217 yards with touchdown passes of 26 yards (Darby) and 81 yards (senior wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk), the latter coming on 3rd & 16 and ASU up 24-21 with 3:54 remaining to give ASU a 10-point advantage
• Daniels is the first Sun Devil to pass for over 400 yards since Mike Bercovici did it against West Virginia in the 2016 Cactus Bowl.
Also nominated: Chase Garbers, QB, CAL; Alex Fontenot, TB, COLO; Johnny Johnson III, WR, ORE; Jake Luton, QB, OSU; Kedon Slovis, QB, USC; Zack Moss, RB, UTAH; Anthony Gordon, QB, WSU
DEFENSE: Talanoa Hufanga, So., S, USC (Corvallis, Ore.)
• Hufanga had a career-best 18 tackles in the 52-35 win over UCLA,
the most in a game by a Trojan since Troy Polamalu had 20 vs. Utah in
the 2001 Vegas Bowl. Interestingly, Polamalu was at the USC-UCLA game,
being honored for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame
• Hufanga had a game-best 2 tackles for loss, with a sack, and also broke up a pass.
Also nominated: Khaylan Kearse-Thomas, LB, ASU; Evan Weaver, LB, CAL; Nate Landman, LB, COLO; Troy Dye, LB, ORE
SPECIAL TEAMS: Alex Kinney, R-Sr., P, Colorado (Fort Collins, Colo.)
• In CU’s 20-14 win over Washington, he helped the Buffs pin UW deep
in their territory at key times. He had four punts for a 45.8 average,
with three inside-the-15 (two inside-the-10, including one that curled
out of bounds at the 1-yard line.
Also nominated: Brandon Aiyuk, PR, ASU
OFFENSIVE LINE: Abe Lucas, R-Sr., OT, Washington State (Everett, Wash.)
• Anchored an offensive line that helped WSU accumulate 641 yards of
total offense as WSU rallied for a 54-53 win over Oregon State
• Lucas played every snap of the game, including 70 pass attempts, and did not surrender a sack
• WSU also rushed for two touchdowns, including the game-winner with :02 seconds remaining
• He graded out at 90 percent for the game and led all tackles
nationally in pass blocking grade last week by Pro Football Focus (PFF)
• Remains as the top-rated pass-blocking tackle in the country per
Pro Football Focus • In 809 total snaps, has committed just one penalty
and allowed just one sack.
Also nominated: Cohl Cabral, C, ASU; Arlington Hambright, OT, COLO; Pend Sewell, OT, ORE; Blake Brandel, OT, OSU
DEFENSIVE LINE: Bradlee Anae, Sr., DE, Utah (Laie, Hawaii)
• Finished second on the team with seven tackles, including Utah’s
only sack of the game for seven yards in the second quarter.
• In addition to the sack, two of his tackles held the opponent to no gain on the play.
• Utah held Arizona to 61 yards rushing, the 10th of 11 games this season Utah has held its opponent under 100 yards rushing.
• Arizona had just seven first downs going into the fourth quarter
and just 45 rushing yards. It scored its only touchdown late in the
final minutes in the game.
• Utah has held six opponents to fewer than 10 points this season.
Also nominated: Jermaine Lole, DE, ASU; Brett Johnson, NT, CAL; Jalen Sami, NT, COLO; Jovan Swann, DE, STAN; Brandon Pili, DL, USC
FRESHMAN: Jayden Daniels, Fr., QB, Arizona State (San Bernardino, Calif)
• Daniels, who was named the Named Walter Camp National Offensive
Player of the Week, threw for 408 yards and three touchdowns in ASU’s
31-28 upset of sixth-ranked Oregon.
• In the first half, Daniels completed 12-of-14 passes for 191 yards
and a touchdown with his two incompletions coming on the final drive of
the half
• Daniels’ 57-yard touchdown strike to junior wide receiver Frank
Darby in the first quarter passed Rudy Carpenter’s single-season school
record for most passing yards by a true freshman quarterback (2,273
yards) set in 2005.
• In the second half, Daniels threw for 217 yards with touchdown
passes of 26 yards (Darby) and 81 yards (senior wide receiver Brandon
Aiyuk), the latter coming on 3rd & 16 and ASU up 24-21 with 3:54
remaining to give ASU a 10-point advantage
• Daniels is the first Sun Devil to pass for over 400 yards since
Mike Bercovici did it against West Virginia in the 2016 Cactus Bowl.
Also nominated: Brett Johnson, NT, CAL; Jalen Sami, NT, COLO; Omar Speights, LB, OSU; Kedon Slovis, QB, USC
