Football Pac-12 Conference

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

The Pac-12 today announced its 2023 football season's fifth weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva . See below for Week Five's recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here : 

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OFFENSE:  Caleb Williams, Jr., QB, USC (Washington, D.C.)

  • Defending Heisman Trophy winner led the USC Trojans to defeat Colorado 48-41 in Boulder at Folsom Field.  Williams was 30-of-40 with 6 pass TD
  • 6 pass TD ties his single game career-high (also throwing 6 TD against Texas Tech in 2021 while with Oklahoma). He is the first FBS player in the last 25 years to throw for 6 passing TD in a game for multiple schools
  • Spread the ball out to 10 different receivers
  • This season, Williams is 105-of-141 for 1,603 yards with 21 pass TD and 1 INT. Has also rushed for 83 yards this season with 3 rush TD, all within 16 quarters of football throughout 5 games
  • Compared to his first 5 games of his Heisman winning season in 2022 (107-of-159 for 1,402 yards with 12 pass TD and 1 INT and 144 rushing yards with 3 rush TD,  playing 19 quarters of football), Williams has thrown 9 more TD through 5 games this year, all while playing 3 fewer quarters than he did to begin the 2022 season
  • Currently 1st in FBS in passing efficiency (217.7),  pass TD (21), points responsible for (146), points responsible for per game (29.2), and yards per pass attempt (11.37)
  • 6th in FBS for passing yards (1,603)
  • 7th in FBS for passing yards per game (320.6)
  • 8th in FBS in total offense (337.2)
  • 9th in FBS for completion percentage (74.5)
  • 13th in FBS in pass yards per completion (15.27)
  • 1st time winning this award this season after winning it twice in 2022
  • 5th straight week a different Pac-12 quarterback has won this award

Also nominated: Silas Bolden , WR, Oregon State; Bo Nix , QB, Oregon; Omarion Miller , WR, Colorado; Tetairoa McMillan , WR, Arizona, Dillon Johnson , RB, Washington; Cam Skattebo , RB, Arizona State

Check out the 2023 Offensive Player of the Year Watchlist, presented by Nextiva , to learn more. 

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DEFENSE:  Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Jr., ILB, Oregon State (Mission Viejo, Calif.)

  • Led the team in tackles for the 4th consecutive game as the Beavers limited the #10 Utah to 198 yards overall and 57 on the ground
  • Intercepted his 2nd career pass, at the OSU 15, helping stall a Utah drive in the 3rd quarter
  • Recorded a 13-yard sack deep in Utah territory late in the 4th quarter as OSU held on to a 14-point lead
  • Credited with 1 quarterback hurry
  • 1st time winning this award and first Beaver to earn it this season.  Oregon State players were honored  4 times last season (Kitan Oladapo twice, Jaydon Grant and Alex Austin one each)

Also nominated: Dalton Johnson , S, Arizona; Dashaun Mallory , DL, Arizona State; Evan Williams , DB, Oregon; Sione Vaki , S, Utah; Christian Roland-Wallace , CB, USC 

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SPECIAL TEAMS:  Lachlan Wilson, RS Jr., P, California (Eaglemont, Australia)

  • Head coach Justin Wilcox said in his post-game presser that you could argue (then quickly clarified that "I don't even know if it's an argument") that Wilson "was the most valuable player for us today" in Cal's 24-21 win over Arizona State.
  • Booted 4 of his 7 punts 53 yards or longer including his Cal career-long 59-yarder and averaged a Cal career-best 49.7 yards per punt
  • 4 of his 7 punts made ASU start drives at their own 20-yard line or worse, including 2 inside the 10 and 1 inside the 5
  • Cal capitalized on Wilson pinning the Sun Devils deep in their own territory by scoring 17 of their points on drives that followed Wilson pinning the Sun Devils at or inside the 20.
  • For the game, ASU's average starting field position was its' own 20-yard line, while Cal's was its' own 40.
  • Also the holder on all 4 successful attempts (1-1 FG, 3-3 PAT) by Mateen Bhaghani in Bhaghani's first game as the Golden Bears' starting placekicker.
  • 1st Cal player to win Special Teams Player of the Week since PK Greg Thomas in Week 3 of 2019

Also nominated: Josh Green , P, Oregon State; Dario Longhetto , K, Arizona State; Jack Bouwmeester , P, Utah; Ross James , P, Oregon; Kyle Ostendorp, P, Arizona; Eddie Czaplicki , P/PK, USC;

OFFENSIVE LINE:  Tanner Miller, RS Jr., RG, Oregon State (Valencia, Calif.)

  • Part of an offensive line that helped the Beavers more than double the rushing yardage typically allowed by Utah in 21-7 win over #10 Utes.  Oregon State had 131 rush yards after Utah had allowed 51.0 ypg through their first 4 games.
  • Graded an OSU-best 85.4 by PFF in pass blocking
  • 1st time winning this award but 2nd time in the last 3 weeks an Oregon State player has earned it (Joshua Gray, Week 3)

Also nominated: Ajani Cornelius, RT, Oregon; Wendell Moe , LG, Arizona; Michael Tarquin , RT, USC 

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DEFENSIVE LINE:  Jonah Elliss, Jr., DE, Utah (Moscow, Idaho)

  • Had 2.0 sacks among his 6 tackles and 2.5 TFL at Oregon State, becoming the first Ute since 2016 to have 2+ sacks in consecutive games.   3rd game this season with multiple sacks
  • Also hurried the quarterback twice, including on Cole Bishop's interception during the second half
  • Made two 3rd down stops, 1 being a sack
  • Leads FBS with 7.5 sacks on the season
  • Only 2nd player to win consecutive Pac-12 Defensive Line Player of the Week awards since it was created prior to the 2019 season (Washington's Zion Tupuola-Fetui was honored in 3 straight weeks in 2020).  Tupuola-Fetui is also the last player to win this award this season before Elliss was honored the last 2 weeks.

Also nominated: Dashaun Mallory , DL, Arizona State; Jordan Burch , DE, Oregon; Andrew Chatfield Jr. , DE/LB, Oregon State; De'jon Benton , DL, USC; TIa Savea , DL, Arizona; 

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FRESHMAN:  Omarion Miller, Fr., WR, Colorado (Vivian, La.)

  • Before last Saturday, Miller had never caught a pass in a college game, but against USC Miller had 7 receptions, 196 yards gained, and 1 touchdown.
  • Tied for most receiving yards in first career game with a reception by an FBS player since at least 1996.  Georgia's Terrence Edwards also had 196 in 1999 against Utah State
  • Most receiving yards in first career game with a reception by a Pac-12 player since at least 1996.  Previous high was Colorado's Dylan Edwards who had 135 in this year's season-opener at TCU and Stanford's Bryce Love who had 135 vs. UCF in 2015.
  • Most receptions in first career game with a reception by a Pac-12 player since 2018 (USC's Amon-Ra St. Brown - 7 vs. UNLV)
  • Most receiving yards by a Pac-12 true freshman since 2011 (USC's Marquis Lee - 224 vs. UCLA)
  • 2nd time this season a Colorado player has been named Pac-12 Freshman of the Week after RB Dylan Edwards was honored in Week 1.  Prior to that, the only Buff to win this award since it was created in 2019 was WR/KR Jordyn Tyson last season.

Also nominated: Keanu Tanuvasa , DT, Utah; Tackett Curtis , ILB, USC; Jerry Mixon , ILB, Oregon;

Date Offensive Defensive Special Teams Offensive
Line 		Defensive Line Freshman
Sept. 5 Shedeur Sanders , Colorado Travis Hunter , Colorado Jack Bouwmeester , Utah Brian Driscoll California David Bailey Stanford Dylan Edwards , Colorado
Sept. 11 Bo Nix , Oregon Ron Stone Jr. , Washington St Zachariah Branch , USC Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan , Colorado Ron Stone Jr. , Washington St Dante Moore , UCLA
Sept. 18 Michael Penix, Jr. , Washington Shilo Sanders , Colorado Jack Bouwmeester , Utah Joshua Gray, Oregon State Zion Tupuola-Fetui, Washington Parker Brailsford , Washington
Sept. 25 Cameron Ward , Washington St Karene Reid , Utah Rome Odunze , Washington Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon Jonah Elliss , Utah Tackett Curtis , USC
Oct. 2 Caleb Williams , USC Easton Mascarenas-Arnold , Oregon St Lachlan Wilson , California Tanner Miller , Oregon St Jonah Elliss , Utah Omarion Miller , Colorado