Dorrell, Five Buffaloes Honored By The Associated Press

            BOULDER — The Associated Press released its All-Pac-12 Conference football teams Christmas morning, with similar results from the coaches' team that was issued earlier in the week.
 
            Karl Dorrell was named the AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year, and sophomore tailback Jarek Broussard was the organization's co-Offensive Player of the Year after a polling of media in the conference region.  Broussard, who led the conference in rushing yards per game (162.6), shared the honor with Oregon State's Jermar Jefferson, who was the leader in gross yards
 
            As on the coaches' team, Broussard also earned first-team All-Pac-12 honors, and was again joined by inside linebacker Nate Landman, who made the AP top team for the second straight year.  Three players earned second-team mention, defensive lineman Mustafa Johnson and offensive tackle Will Sherman who were both on the coaches' squad, and outside linebacker Carson Wells (an honorable mention pick by the coaches).  The AP did not select an all-star team for the conference until 2015, previously the league only recognized the coaches' selections.
 
            Dorrell is the sixth Colorado coach to earn the conference coach of the year honor, joining Dal Ward (1956, Big Seven), Eddie Crowder (1965, Big Eight), Bill McCartney (1985, 1989, 1990 Big Eight), Gary Barnett (2001, 2004 Big 12) and Mike MacIntyre (2016, Pac-12).  On Monday, he was named as one of nine finalists for the FWAA/Eddie Robinson National Coach of the Year Award. 
 
            He directed the Buffaloes to a 4-1 regular season record, and is the third CU head coach to lead the Buffs to a bowl game in his first season, joining Rick Neuheisel ('96 Cotton) and Barnett ('99 Insight.com).  And he is also the first CU coach in his first season to have his team go from unranked in the preseason to ranked (No. 21 AP, No. 22 USAT/Coaches on Dec. 6; No. 21 CFP on Dec. 8), leading a team that many prognosticators were saying would win maybe one if any games (the over/under in Vegas was 1½ wins). 
 
            Broussard led the Pac-12 in rushing during the regular season, averaging 162.6 yards per game, with his 175.6 average for all-purpose yards also a league best.  Only the fourth player to gain 100 or more yards in his first four career games in the NCAA Division I-A/FBS since 1996, he is the first Buffalo running back to earn first-team all-conference honors since Brown in 2002 (Big 12).  He is one of 14 finalists for the Mayo Clinic Comeback Player of the Year Award, as he missed the last two full seasons after undergoing two ACL surgeries on the same knee; three winners will be named on January 2.
 
            Landman is the first Buffalo to repeat as a conference first-teamer since CU joined the league in 2011, and is the first to do overall since offensive tackle Nate Solder garnered first-team All-Big 12 honors in 2009 and 2010.  He's the first inside linebacker to repeat in successive years since Matt Russell was All-Big Eight in 1995 and then All-Big 12 in 1996.  He led the team in tackles with 61 (49 solo), the third straight year he topped CU's stat sheet in tackles, joining fellow inside 'backers Barry Remington (1984-86) and Greg Biekert (1990-92) as the only players in school history to lead the Buffs three straight seasons.  Landman also led the team in third down stops (13), tackles for zero gains (seven) and quarterback sacks (five).  His season ended in the regular season finale against Utah when he suffered a torn Achilles tendon.
 
            Johnson likely enjoyed his finest season as a Buffalo, despite not racking up big numbers due to often fighting double teamed coverages.  H had 21 tackles (15 solo, six for losses including two a quarterback sacks).  He had five hurries, two third down stops and two tackles for zero gains.
 
            Sherman graded out as CU's top offensive lineman (81.3 percent), with a team-high 13 legal cut blocks and six perfect blocks on touchdown passes.  He also had nine touchdown blocks and five knockdowns in playing the second most snaps (369) of any player on the team.
 
            Wells finished third on the team in tackles with 34 (26 solo), which included 13½ tackles for loss: that 2.7 TFL average per game led the nation heading into bowl season.  Those numbers also included 4½ quarterback sacks; he also had eight third down stops, five passes broken up, five hurries and an interception.
 
2020 ASSOCIATED PRESS ALL-PAC-12 FOOTBALL TEAM
 
FIRST TEAM (*—unanimous)
Offense
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, USC, 6-1, 195, Jr, Anaheim Hills, California
WR *Simi Fehoko, Stanford, 6-4, 227, Jr, Sandy, Utah
OT    Alijah Vera-Tucker, USC, 6-4, 315, Jr, Oakland, California
OT   Abe Lucas, Washington State, 6-7, 328, Jr, Everett, Washington
OG   Dohnovan West, Arizona State, 6-3, 315, So, Mission Hills, California
OG   Ryan Walk, Oregon, 6-3, 290, Jr, Eugene, Oregon
C       Drew Dalman, Stanford, 6-3, 300, Sr, Salinas, California
TE    Cade Otton, Washington, 6-5, 240, Sr, Tumwater, Washington
QB    Kevon Slovis, USC, 6-3, 215, So, Scottsdale, Arizona
RB    Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State, 5-10, 217, Jr, Harbor City, California
RB    Jarek Broussard, Colorado, 5-9, 185, So, Dallas
PK    Jadon Redding, Utah, 5-11, 190, So, Fredricksburg, Virginia
AP    Demetric Felton, UCLA, 5-10, 200, Sr, Temecula, California
Defense
DE    Kayvon Thibodeaux, Oregon, 6-5, 250, So, Los Angeles
DE    Tyler Johnson, Arizona State, 6-4, 285, Jr, Gilbert, Arizona
DT    Marlon Tuipulotu, USC, 6-3, 305, Jr, Independence, Oregon
DT    Osa Odighizuwa, UCLA, 6-2, 279, Sr, Portland, Oregon
LB    Nate Landman, Colorado, 6-3, 235, Sr, Danville, California
LB    Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington, 6-3, 280, Jr, Pearl City, Hawaii
LB    Devin Lloyd, Utah, 6-3, 232, Jr, Chula Vista, California
CB    Mykeal Wright, Oregon, 5-11, 182, So, Antelope Valley, California
CB    Chase Lucas, Arizona State, 6-0, 180, Sr, Chandler, Arizona
S        *Talanoa Hufanga, USC, 6-1, 213, Jr, Corvallis, Oregon
S        Elijah Molden, Washington, 5-10, 190, Sr, West Linn, Oregon
P       Ben Griffiths, USC, 6-5, 245, So, Melbourne, Australia
 
SECOND TEAM
Offense
WR   Drake London, USC, 6-5, 210, So, Moorpark, California
WR   Tyler Vaughns, USC, 6-2, 190, Sr, Pasadena, California
OT   Jaxson Kirland, Washington, 6-7, 295, Sr, Portland, Oregon
OT    Will Sherman, Colorado, 6-4, 310, Jr, Allen, Texas
OG   Henry Bainivalu, Washington, 6-6, 335, Sr, Sammamish, Washington 
OG   T.J. Bass, Oregon, 6-5, 318, Jr, Deming, Washington 
TE    Greg Dulcich, UCLA, 6-4, 242, So, Glendale, California
QB   Tyler Shough, Oregon, 6-5, 221, So, Chandler, Arizona
RB    Ty Jordan, Utah, 5-7, 200, Fr, Mesquite, Texas
RB    Demetic Felton, UCLA, 5-10, 200, Sr, Temecula, California
AP    Britain Covey, Utah, 5-8, 172, Jr, Provo, Utah
Defense
DE    Mika Tafua, Utah, 6-3, 250, Jr, Laie, Hawaii
DE    Drake Jackson, USC, 6-4, 255, So, Corona, California
DT    Mustafa Johnson, Colorado, ,6-2, 290, Sr, Turlock, California
DT    Jermayne Lole, Arizona State, 6-1, 310, Jr, Long Beach, California
LB    Caleb Johnson, UCLA, 6-1, 230, Jr, Murrieta, California
LB    Carson Wells, Colorado, 6-4, 250, Jr, Bushnell, Florida
LB    Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington, 6-0, 230, Jr, Anchorage, Alaska
CB    Trent McDuffie, Washington, 5-11, 195, Jr, Westminster, California
CB    Deommodore Lenoir, Oregon, 5-11, 195, Se, Los Angeles
S        Evan Fields, Arizona State, 61-, 195, Sr, Oklahoma City
S       Isaiah Pola-Mao, USC, 6-4, 205, Jr, Phoenix
P       Oscar Draguicevich, Washington State, 6-0, 182, Sr, Hutto, Texas
 
Offensive Player of the Year — Jarek Broussard, Colorado and Jermar Jefferson, Oregon State
Defensive Player of the Year — Talanoa Hufanga, USC
Newcomer of the Year — Ty Jordan, Utah
Coach of the Year — Karl Dorrell, Colorado