All-Conference Football Honorees Include Two First-Teamers

SAN FRANCISCO – Eight UCLA football student-athletes were recognized Tuesday by the Pac-12, which announced its annual All-Conference selections. The results were determined based on a vote by the league's head coaches.

Running back Zach Charbonnet and defensive lineman Laiatu Latu were first-team selections, while offensive lineman Atonio Mafi and linebacker Darius Muasau made the second team. Receiving honorable-mention acclaim were defensive back Stephan Blaylock, wide receiver Jake Bobo, offensive lineman Jon Gaines II and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Senior Charbonnet made the second team to cap his initial campaign as a Bruin in 2021. This season, he leads the nation in all-purpose yards per game (168.00). Charbonnet's 135.9 rushing yards per contest rank first in the Pac-12 and fourth overall. He has eclipsed the century mark on the ground in eight of 10 games played, including 198-yard performances against Stanford and Utah. Charbonnet has 14 touchdowns – all rushing.

Redshirt junior Latu made his All-Conference debut on the first team after registering 9.5 sacks during the regular season. That number, the most by a UCLA pass rusher since Takkarist McKinley in 2016, rates second in the Pac-12. Latu's three forced fumbles, meanwhile, are tied for first. At Colorado Sept. 24, Latu posted 3.0 sacks – a single-game best by a Bruin since McKinley again in 2016. He has 11.0 tackles for loss.

Redshirt senior Mafi's first all-league appearance came on the heels of a regular season that saw UCLA put up 246.3 rushing yards per game. The offensive-line unit paved the way for nine 200-yard rushing displays during the regular season – a first for the program since 1976. The Bruins have surpassed 300 yards on the ground three times, accomplishing the feat thus far at California Nov. 25 (352), at Arizona State Nov. 5 (402) and against Stanford Oct. 29 (324).

Senior Muasau has piled up 77 tackles – the second-highest total by a Bruin this season – en route to his first Pac-12 All-Conference plaudit. He has also tallied 2.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions, one sack, one forced fumble and one fumble recovered. Muasau's standout performance came at ASU Nov. 5, when he piled up 12 total stops that included a pair for negative yardage and a sack.

Redshirt senior Blaylock, who also made the honorable-mention cut in 2020, has registered 54 total tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks and an interception. Redshirt senior Bobo leads UCLA with 54 catches, 789 receiving yards and seven touchdown grabs in his first season with the program. Senior Gaines has been a staple on the offensive line, which is a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award as one of the nation's most outstanding units. Redshirt senior Thompson-Robinson, a second-team honoree in 2021 and 2020, has recorded single-season career highs of 250 completions, 2,883 passing yards, 25 passing touchdowns, a .698 completion percentage and 631 rushing yards while leading the Bruins to seven total-offense outputs of 500 or more yards and a 39.6 scoring average.