Caleb Williams and Tuli Tuipulotu Named Pac-12 Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year; Five Trojans Make All-Pac-12 First Team

LOS ANGELES--USC quarterback Caleb Williams was named Pac-12 Offensive Player, while defensive lineman Tuli Tuipulotu was honored as the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year. 
 
Williams and Tuipulotu were also selected to the All-Pac-12 First Team as well as offensive lineman Andrew Vorhees, wide receiver Jordan Addison and defensive back Mekhi Blackmon. 
 
Additionally, running back Travis Dye, offensive lineman Brett Neilon and defensive back Calen Bullock made the All-Pac-12 Second Team. 
 
USC's All-Pac-12 honorable mention choices were: offensive lineman Justin Dedich, offensive lineman Jonah Monheim, linebacker Shane Lee, wide receiver Tahj Washington and defensive back Max Williams. 
 
Williams is USC's 10th Pac-12 Offensive Player selection, and Tuipulotu is Troy's ninth Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. 

Williams has been instrumental in successfully turning around a program that went 4-8 in the 2021 season to a 11-2 team in 2022. The 7-victory increase from last season matches the biggest one-season turnaround in USC history. The other 7-game improvement was when the 1962 National Champion Trojans won 11 games after winning only 4 in the 1961 season. 

Through 13 games, Williams has dazzled the nation with his elusive moves, his powerful arm and his thrilling runs.  He has 47 TDs and 4 INTs. He is 296-for-448 (.661) for 4,075 yards. Williams has also rushed for 372 yards on 109 carries with 10 TDs. He has accounted for 47 total touchdowns (both passing and running) in 13 games. He broke the previous school record  of 41 by Matt Barkley (2011) and Cody Kessler (2014).
 
Williams now has 4,447 total offensive yards in 2022, which ranks first on USC's single-season list (Sam Darnold previously held the record with 4,225 total yards in 2017). His 372 rushing yards this season is also the most by a USC QB in the last 70 years since complete records were available. The previous record was 342 by Jim Sears in 1952. Williams leads USC with 10 rushing TDs on the season.
 
Williams is No. 1 in the nation in in passing TDs (37). He is also No. 1 in the nation in points responsible for per game (21.7) and points responsible for (282). Williams is No. 3 in the nation in passing yards (4,075). He is No. 6 in the nation in passing efficiency (167.9), passing yards per game (313.5) and total offense (342.1). Williams is No. 7 in the nation in yards per pass attempt (9.10).
 
As an offense, USC is No. 3 in the nation and No. 1 in the Pac-12 in team passing efficiency (168.69). USC also leads the Pac-12 in passing yards per completion (13.75). USC is No. 4 in the nation in 3rd down conversion percentage (.516), No. 4 in the nation and leads the Pac-12 in scoring offense (41.1), No. 5 in the nation in total offense (499.8) and No. 5 in the nation in passing offense (325.7).
 
Williams is currently No. 7 on USC's Single Season Passing Leaders list with 296 completions. He is on pace to become USC's all-time single season passing leader. 
 
Former Trojan Cody Kessler currently holds the USC record for the lowest rate of interceptions in a season with 1.1% (5 in 452 attempts in 2014). Williams is on pace to overtake that record since he is currently at 0.9% (4 in 407 attempts). 

Williams is a finalist for the Heisman Trophy, the Manning Award, the Davey O'Brien Award and the Maxwell Award. He was named a PFF First Team All-American and to the PFF All-Pac-12 First Team. He was a two-time Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Week and was named to the Allstate Good Works Team for his philanthropic efforts. 

Tuipulotu is the nation's third-leading sack man with 12.5 on the season (0.96 per game). He is also the Pac-12 leader and is sixth nationally with 1.6 tackles for loss per game (21.0 total).

Tuipulotu's 12.5 sacks are the most in a single season at USC since Kenechi Udeze set the Trojans' record with 16.5 in 2003. Tuipulotu has recorded 44 tackles, 29 of them solo. He has tallied three pass breakups at the line, two quarterback hurries – one of which turned into an intentional grounding penalty for a safety against Colorado – and has collected forced two fumbles.
 
He is a finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, the Rotary Lombardi Award, the Lott IMPACT Trophy and the Nagurski Trophy. He is also on the watch lists for the Ted Hendricks Award and Polynesian College Football Player of the Year Award. By virtue of being named a finalist for the Nagurski Trophy, Tuipulotu earns placement on the FWAA All-American First Team.  He is USC's first FWAA All-American on defense since 2014 when defensive lineman Leonard Williams made the second team. Initially named a preseason All-American, he also earned placement on six Midseason All-American First Teams (AP, ESPN, Athlon, CBS Sports, The Athletic and FOX Sports).
 
Vorhees' pass blocking was a crucial piece of QB Caleb Williams' outstanding performance this season to allow him to go 296-for-448 (.661) for 4,075 yards and 37 TDs. His run blocking allowed 3 different Trojans to score rushing touchdowns. His run blocking allowed 5 different Trojans to score a total of 29 rushing TDs this season. Per PFF, Vorhees is the No. 4 graded guard in the nation with over 700 snaps.
 
Addison was Williams' favorite target this season, leading the team with 59 receptions for 875 yards and 8 TDs. He led the Pac-12 Conference in receiving TDs. Addison is the reigning Biletnikoff winner and was named a semifinalist for the award in 2022. 
 
Blackmon led the Trojans in pass breakups tallying 11 on the season. He recorded 58 total tackles with 2.0 for loss. He also collected 3 INTs and 1 fumble recovery. 
 
Dye was one of the most dominant backs in the nation this season. He rushed for 884 yards on 145 carries (6.1 avg.) for 9 TDs. Prior to his season-ending injury in the Colorado game, Dye had eight consecutive games with a rushing TD. The last Trojan with a rushing TD in 8 or more consecutive games in 1 season was Marcus Allen in 1981 when he scored a rushing TD in 9 consecutive games. After transferring from Oregon, Dye arrived at Troy as an immediate leader and was the heartbeat of the team this season. 
 
Neilon has been USC's starting center for the past four seasons. He led an offensive line that is one of the best in the nation. He was crucial to the success of leading Heisman Trophy candidate, quarterback Caleb Williams. In USC's electric offense, Neilon helped the Trojans average 325.7 passing yards per game, while averaging 172.4 yards on the ground. USC is ranked No. 3 in the nation in scoring offense, averaging 41.1 points per game. Neilon played 901 snaps this season through 13 games. Per PFF, Neilon is the No. 1 graded center in the country with over 800 snaps. Neilon is a Rimington finalist and has been named to the PFF All-American Second Team and the PFF All-Pac-12 First Team. 

Bullock recorded a team-high 5 INTs this season. His 5 interceptions are the most in a season by a Trojan since Adoree' Jackson also had 5 during the 2016 season. He also tallied 47 tackles and 5 pass breakups. 

Like their counterparts on the offensive line, Dedich and Monheim were crucial to the success of Williams' thrilling season. Their blocking allowed USC to have one of the most explosive offenses in the nation. Lee led USC in tackles, recording 75 with 6.5 for loss and 2.5 sacks. He also tallied 2 INTs (1 returned for a TD), 1 pass breakup and 1 quarterback hurry. Washington recorded 676 receiving yards on 45 carries for 6 TDs. He was also a dominant force on special teams. Max Williams tallied 74 tackles with 2 for loss this season. He also collected 2 INTs, 5 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and 1 quarterback hurry.