Pac-12 Football Players of the Week – Week 4
OFFENSIVE: J.J. Taylor, RSo., RB, Arizona (Corona, Calif.)
• Taylor sparked Arizona's offense for a 35-14 win over Oregon State with a career day, rushing for 284 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries (each figure a career-best tally). The 284 yards are an FBS single-game best this season and the fourth-best single-game total in UA history.
• Taylor is the 15th player in program history to rush for 200+ yards in a game and his 62-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter was the longest rushing play of the season for the Wildcats.
• Taylor also returned one kickoff for 21 yards, giving him 305 all-purpose yards in the contest for the most by a Pac-12 player this season.
Also nominated: Dillon Mitchell, WR, ORE; KJ Costello, QB, STAN; JT Daniels, QB, USC.
DEFENSIVE: Ben Burr-Kirven, Sr., LB, Washington (Menlo Park, Calif.)
• Burr-Kirven posted a career-high 20 tackles for the highest total by a Husky in 22 years (John Fiala, 22 vs. ASU in 1996) in Washington's 27-20 victory against Arizona State. Burr-Kirven has amassed 53 total tackles this season, 30 more than any other Husky.
• He recorded 14 solo tackles and six assists to help UW’s defense hold ASU to 268 total yards. He also forced two fumbles, recovering one of them.
• Burr-Kirven is the first player to win back-to-back Defensive Player of the Week honors since ASU LB Antonio Longino in 2015 (Nov. 16, 23) and the first Husky to earn back-to-back honors since CB Derrick Johnson in 2002 (Nov. 9, 17).
Also nominated: Colin Schooler, LB, ARIZ; Paulson Adebo, DB, STAN; Cameron Smith, ILB, USC.
SPECIAL TEAMS: Jay Tufele, RFr., DL, USC (Salt Lake City, Utah)
• Secured USC’s 39-36 win over Washington State with a clutch blocked field goal. The Cougars drove into field goal range with only 1:50 left in the game, but Tufele burst through a hole and got a hand on PK Blake Mazza's 38-yard attempt that would have tied the game.
• Tufele also recorded three tackles while starting on the defensive line.
Also nominated: Brandon Ruiz, PK, ASU; Jet Toner, PK, STAN.