Handing out Pac-12 Awards, All-Pac-12 and All-Americans

Player of the Year: Penai Sewell, Oregon; followed by Tyler Huntley, Utah; Zack Moss, Utah; Troy Dye, Oregon; and Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State

It’s unheard of for an offensive lineman to win any sort of POY award, but Penai Sewell has garnered legitimate Heisman consideration for his work this season. The sophomore offensive tackle has been far and away the best offensive line in the nation. Either Tyler Huntley or Zack Moss will win the award — deservingly so — but Sewell should be rewarded for his season-long excellence.

Defensive Player of the Year: Troy Dye, Oregon; followed by Julian Blackmon, Utah; Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State; Bradlee Anae, Utah; and Jevon Holland, Oregon

It’s a shame (not really) that Oregon stumbled against Arizona State, because they would be an interesting Playoff contender if they beat Utah in the Pac-12 Championship. Their offense should be much better than it is, considering they have future top-10 picks Justin Herbert and Penai Sewell. The Ducks success has been powered by their defense. Troy Dye is the center of that as a dynamic linebacker who makes tackles just as easily as he clogs passing lanes.

Coach of the Year: Kyle Whittingham, Utah; followed by Mario Christobal, Oregon; and Jonathan Smith, Oregon State

Utah is never regarded as an elite program, but in the past five years, they have found more consistent success in the Pac-12 than everyone besides Washington. Kyle Whittingham is why the Utes have so good despite recruiting disadvantages. They coach up that defense, develop offensive playmakers, and win the margins every game. Those are signs of a well coached team.

Breakout Player of the Year: Francis Bernard, Utah, followed by Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State; Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State; Elijah Molden, Washington; and Alex Fontenot, Colorado

When the All-Pac-12 teams are announced, Utah may have as many as seven players on the first team defense. That’s unreal. They stars on the defensive line, future NFL players all over the secondary, and in the middle of all of that sits Francis Bernard. He started his career at BYU, played there in 2015 and 2016, left the program, redshirted at Rio Salado College in 2017, transferred to Utah, was a rotation linebacker in 2018, and then became a superstar on an elite defense in 2019. That’s a typical path to stardom.

First Team Offense

QB: Tyler Huntley, Utah

RB: Zack Moss, Utah; Eno Benjamin, Arizona State

WR: Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State; Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State; Michael Pittman Jr., USC

TE: Hunter Bryant, Washington

OT: Penai Sewell, Oregon; Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon

OG: Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC; Shane Lemieux, Oregon

C: Nick Harris, Washington

PK: Blake Mazza, Washington State

First Team Defense

DL: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State; Bradlee Anae, Utah; Leki Fotu, Utah; Levi Onwuzurike, Washington

LB: Troy Dye, Oregon; Evan Weaver, Cal; Francis Bernard, Utah

CB: Jaylon Jackson, Utah; Elijah Molden, Washington

S: Julian Blackmon, Utah; Jevon Holland, Oregon

P: Alex Kinney, Colorado

KR/PR: Brandon Aiyuk, Arizona State

Second Team Offense

QB: Anthony Gordon, Washington State

RB: Max Borghi, Washington State; Joshua Kelley, UCLA

WR: Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado; Easop Winston Jr.; Tyler Vaughns, USC

TE: Brant Kuithe, Utah

OT: Blake Brandel, Oregon State; Arlington Hambright, Colorado

OG: Gus Lavaka, Oregon State; Jaxson Kirkland, Washington

C: Michael Saffell, Cal

PK: Jadon Redding, Utah

Second Team Defense

DE: Jermayne Lolo, Arizona State; Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon

DL: John Penisini, Utah; Jay Tufele, USC

LB: Nate Landman, Colorado; Mase Funa, Oregon; Davion Taylor, Colorado

CB: Paulson Adebo, Stanford; Kobe Williams, Arizona State

S: Ashtyn Davis, Cal; Myles Bryant, Washington

P: Michael Turk, Arizona State

KR/PR: Aaron Fuller, Washington

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After handing out fake awards to Pac-12 players, here is my fake ballot for the All-American team.

First Team Offense

QB: Joe Burrow, LSU

RB: Chuba Hubbard, Oklahoma State; Travis Etienne, Clemson

WR: Ja’Marr Chase, LSU; CeeDee Lamb, Oklahoma; Devonta Smith, Alabama

AP: Lynn Bowden, Kentucky

TE: Harrison Bryant, Florida Atlantic

OT: Penai Sewell, Oregon; Andrew Thomas, Georgia

OG: Wyatt Davis, Ohio State; Kevin Dotson, Louisiana-Lafayette

C: Tyler Biadasz, Wisconsin

PK: Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia

First Team Defense

DE: Chase Young, Alabama; Curtis Weaver, Boise State

DL: Derrick Brown, Auburn; Jordan Elliott, Missouri

LB: Isaiah Simmons, Clemson; Troy Dye, Oregon; Micah Parsons, Penn State

CB: Jeffrey Okudah, Ohio State; Derek Stingley Jr., LSU

S: Antoine Winfield Jr., Minnesota; J.R. Reed, Georgia

P: Braden Mann, Texas A&M

KR/PR: Jaylen Waddle, Alabama

Second Team Offense

QB: Justin Fields, Ohio State

RB: J.K. Dobbins, Ohio State; Clyde Edwards-Helaire, LSU

WR: Jerry Jeudy, Alabama; Rashod Bateman, Minnesota; Isaiah Hodgins, Oregon State

AP: Devin Duvernay, Texas

TE: Hunter Bryant, Washington

OT: Tristan Wirfs, Iowa; Jedrick Wills, Alabama

OG: Josh Rivas, Kansas State; Nolan Laufenberg, Air Force

C: Creed Humphrey, Oklahoma

PK: Blake Mazza, Washington State

Second Team Defense

DE: Hamilcar Rashed Jr., Oregon State; Chris Rumph II, Duke

DL: Marvin Wilson, Florida State; Javon Kinlaw, South Carolina

LB: Malik Harrison, Ohio State; Jordyn Brooks, Texas Tech; Logan Wilson, Wyoming

CB: Trevon Diggs, Alabama; C.J. Henderson, Florida

S: Grant Delpit, LSU; Xavier McKinney, Alabama

P: Alex Kinney, Colorado

PR/KR: Joshua Youngblood, Kansas State