Colorado Buffaloes’ Isaiah Oliver named Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week

Colorado Buffaloes defensive back Isaiah Oliver turned in a great performance last Thursday against UCLA with the game clinching 68-yard punt return for a touchdown, earning the Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week. Oliver becomes the sixth CU player to receive a weekly conference honor this season and the second for special teams.

Sept. 5- Sefo Liufau, Offense

Sept. 26- Steven Montez, Offense

Oct. 3- Davis Price, Special Teams

Oct. 17- Phillip Lindsay, Offense

Oct. 24- Tedric Thompson, Defense

Nov. 7- Isaiah Oliver, Special Teams

Pac-12 Conference

CU’s kick returner joins Washington’s John Ross III and Sidney Jones IV as the best in the Pac-12 this week. Here’s a detailed look at all three players stats and other players nominated courtesy of the Pac-12 conference.

Offensive: John Ross III, Jr., WR, Washington

• Ross accounted for 208 receiving yards and three touchdowns on just six receptions, good for an average of 34.67 yards per catch in Washington's 66-27 win at California.

• Ross caught scoring passes of 60, 67 and six yards and increased his season total for receiving touchdowns to 14, second-most in the FBS.

• His 208 yards were the fifth-highest, single-game total in UW history while his three TDs were tied for second-most in UW history, one shy of the record of four.

Defensive: Sidney Jones IV, Jr., CB, Washington

• The junior cornerback led a Husky defense that held California to just 27 points, about 14 shy of its season average.

• Jones recorded two interceptions, one of them in the end zone, and also broke up two other passes, while also contributing three tackles.

• Washington's defense held Cal to its second-lowest passing yards output of the season (262 yards) as well as the second-fewest TD passes (1), while the Bears' 362 yards of total offense equaled their lowest sum of the year.

Special Teams: Isaiah Oliver, DB/PR, Colorado

• In Colorado's 20-10 win over UCLA, Oliver returned five punts for 124 yards, including a 68-yard runback for a touchdown that clinched the victory with under six minutes to go (he also had a 42-yard return earlier in the game).

• It was CU’s first punt return for a score since Stephane Robinson returned one 81 yards against Kansas on Oct. 22, 2005.

• He is the first Buff to have over 100 yards in punt returns in a game since Josh Smith (4-108) against Eastern Washington on Sept. 6, 2008 and it was the most yards since Roman Hollowell had 6-148 against Fresno State on Aug. 26, 2001.

• It was the most punt return yards in a game this year by a Pac-12 player and the fourth-most in the NCAA through games of Nov. 4

ALSO NOMINATED:

Offensive: Christian McCaffrey, Stanford; Ronald Jones II, USC; Luke Falk, Washington State

Defensive: Chidobe Awuzie, Colorado; Rasheem Green, USC; Jayon Brown, UCLA; Nnamdi Oguayo, Washington State

Special Teams: Conrad Ukropina, Stanford

Outstanding job, Isaiah.