Pac-12 Performance Awards, presented by Nextiva - Football Week 12

SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 today announced its 2022 football season's 12th weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week 12's recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:

• Leading Heisman Trophy candidate Caleb Williams went 32-of-43 for a career-high 470 yards and 2 TD and rushed for 33 yards on 8 carries with 1 TD to lead the Trojans to victory over crosstown rival UCLA 48-45 in the Rose Bowl.
• Williams' 503 total yards set a USC single game record. The previous record was held by Kedon Slovis who had 502 yards versus UCLA in 2019. 503 total yards was also the most by any player in the series' 92-game history.
• 316 rushing yards this year are the most by a USC QB since Troy Winslow had 319 in 1965, and he is 3 yards shy of the most by a Trojan QB in the last 70 years when complete records were first available (342 yards by Jim Sears in 1952; Sears played halfback but led USC in passing that season).
• 92.3 PFF passing grade against UCLA.
• Through 11 games, Williams has 33 pass TD and 3 INT. He is 250-for-385 (.649) for 3,480 yards. Rushed for 316 yards on 88 carries with 7 TDs. Has accounted for 40 total touchdowns in 11 games at USC.
• USC's 5 consecutive games with 40 points or more are the most since the 2003 team had 7 consecutive 40+ point games.
• No. 3 in the nation in points responsible for per game (21.8). No. 4 in the nation in passing TD (33) and leads the Pac-12 in the stat.  No. 4 in the nation in points responsible for (240) and total offense (345.1).  No. 6 in the nation in passing yards (3,480) and passing yards per game (316.4). No. 8 in the nation in passing yards per completion (13.92), No. 9 in the nation in passing efficiency (167.6) and No. 11 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.04).
• USC leads the nation in turnover margin (1.91) and turnovers lost (4). No. 2 in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in total offense (513.0). No. 2 in the nation in 3rd down conversion percentage (.543). No. 3 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in scoring offense (42.7). No. 4 in the nation in passing offense (330.8). No. 6 in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in team passing efficiency (168.47). USC also leads the Pac-12 Conference in passing yards per completion (13.89).
• Williams is currently No. 12 on USC's Single Season Passing Leaders list with 250 completions and is on pace to become USC's all-time single season passing leader. Former Trojan Cody Kessler, currently holds the record for the lowest rate of interceptions in a season with 1.1% (5 in 452 attempts during the 2014 season). Williams is on pace to overtake that record since he is currently at 0.8% (3 in 385 attempts). Currently tied for highest passing efficiency rating in a single USC season with Kedon Slovis (2019) at 167.6.  Now has 3,796 total offensive yards which ranks 4th on USC's single-season total yards list.
• His performance this week propelled USC to be No. 5 in both the AP Poll and the USA Today Coaches Poll.
• Maxwell Award Semifinalist and Davey O?Brien Award Semifinalist. He is a member of the All-State Good Works Team and is up for Team Captain.
• 2nd time winning this award this season, becoming the 4th different Pac-12 QB to win this award multiple times this season.  1st Trojan to earn this honor twice in the same season since QB Kedon Slovis in 2019.

Also nominated:  Bo Nix, QB, Oregon; Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah; Damien Martinez, RB, Oregon State; Dorian Singer, WR, Arizona;  Michael Ezeike, TE, UCLA; Wayne Taulapapa, RB, Washington

Check out the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist, presented by Nextiva, to learn more. 

DEFENSE:  Bennett Williams, Sr., DB, Oregon (Campbell, Calif.)

• Led Oregon to a 20-17 win over No. 10 Utah with 2 interceptions and a season-high 14 tackles.
• 2nd career multi-interception game, giving him 8 career picks (5 at Oregon).  Second pick helped seal Oregon's win late in the 4th quarter
• Matched his career-high with 14 tackles, the most by a Duck this season.  First double-digit tackle performance as a Duck, and third of his career.
• Earned a solid 76.8 defensive grade from Pro Football Focus, including a 76.2 coverage grade.
• 2nd time n his career that Williams has won this award, taking it home in Week 4 last season.  2nd time in the last 3 weeks an Oregon defensive player has won this award with Christian Gonzalez winning in Week 10.

Also nominated: Daniel Scott, S, California; Jackson Sirmon, ILB, California; Sam Lockett III, S, Washington State; Gunner Maldonado, S, Arizona; Skyler Thomas, DB, Oregon State; Karene Reid, LB, Utah; Shane Lee, ILB, USC

• Made 61-yard field goal as time expired, setting a new school record.  Field goal was 5 yards longer than any other field goal made at the FBS level this season. 
• 2nd longest field goal in Pac-12 history (Jason Hanson, WSU, 62-yarder in 1991) and longest in a conference game.  61 yards is a Big Game record and tied for 6th longest in FBS since at least 1996.
• 16-for-16 on the season on field goals with 12 makes of 40+ yards
• Becomes 4th player in conference history to win Special Teams Player of the Week 4 times in the same season joining Utah's Matt Gay in 2018, Arizona State's Zane Gonzalez in 2016 (Lou Groza Award winner that season) and Cal's Doug Brien in 1991.

Also nominated:  Camden Lewis, K, Oregon; Dario Longhetto, PK, California; Luke Loecher, P, Oregon State; Tyler Loop, K, Arizona

• Vorhees' pass blocking was a crucial piece of QB Caleb Williams' outstanding performance to allow him to go 32-of-43 for a career-high 470 yards and 2 TD to lead the Trojans to victory over crosstown rival UCLA 48-45 in the Rose Bowl.
• His run blocking allowed 3 different Trojans to score rushing touchdowns:  Austin Jones with 2, and Caleb Williams and Darwin Barlow with 1 each. Jones recorded a season-high 120 rushing yards on 21 carries. Williams rushed for 33 yards on 8 carries with 1 TD. His 316 rushing yards this year are the most by a USC QB since Troy Winslow had 319 in 1965, and he is 3 yards shy of the most by a Trojan QB in the last 70 years when complete records were first available (342 yards by Jim Sears in 1952; Sears played halfback but led USC in passing that season).
• Williams' 503 total yards set a USC game record. The previous record was held by Kedon Slovis who has 502 yards versus UCLA in 2019. His 503 total yards was also the most by any player in the series? 92-game history.
• Per PFF, Vorhees had a pass blocking grading of 84.5 against UCLA. Also per PFF, Vorhees is the No. 6 graded guard in the nation with over 600 snaps.
• Just the 2nd USC player to earn this honor since the award was created prior to the 2019 season.  Austin Jackson won it in Week 2 of the 2019 season.

Also nominated: Jaxson Kirkland, LG, Washington; Taliese Fuaga, RT, Oregon State; Ryan Walk, C, Oregon

DEFENSIVE LINE:  Tuli Tuipulotu, Jr., DL, USC (Hawthorne, Calif.)

• Collected 6 tackles with 1.5 for loss for 5 yards in USC's 48-45 victory over crosstown rival UCLA in the Rose Bowl.
• Finalist for the Bronko Nagurski Trophy and the Rotary Lombardi Award. By virtue of being named a Nagurski finalist, Tuipulotu will make the FWAA All-American First Team and will become USC's 171st All-American first teamer.
• Semifinalist for the Lott IMPACT Trophy and a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award.
• He is No. 3 in the nation in sacks (1.00) and leads the Pac-12 Conference. Tuipulotu's 11.5 sacks are the most in a single season at USC since Kenechi Udeze set the Trojans' record with 16.5 in 2003. He is also No. 4 in the nation in tackles for loss (1.7) and leads the Pac-12.
• Becomes the 1st player to win this honor 4 times in one season since the award was created prior to the 2019 season.

Also nominated:  Casey Rogers, DL, Oregon; Gabe Reid, DE, Utah; Ron Stone Jr, EDGE, Washington State; Cory Stover, OLB, Oregon State

• Topped 100 yards rushing for the 5th consecutive game, becoming the 1st OSU back to do so since Steven Jackson in 2003.
• Ran for 2 touchdowns in the win at Arizona State.
• 57 of his 138 rushing yards came after contact.
• 10 of his 22 carries went for first downs or touchdowns in the win.
• Has 722 yards rushing over his last 6 games.
• Needs just 133 yards to have the fourth 1,000-yard effort by a freshman in OSU history.
• OSU won 31-7 for the 1st time since 2009 and just the 2nd time since 1969
• 2nd time winning this season, also taking home the honors in Week 8.  1st Oregon State player to win this award multiple times and 3rd player to do it this season (Cal RB Jaydn Ott & Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan).

Also nominated:  Jaydn Ott, RB, California; Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona; Fa'alili Fa'amoe, RT, Washington State; Raleek Brown, RB, USC; Simote Pepa, DT, Utah