Affiliate Disclosure This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a commission.

Jack Follman’s Midseason Awards and All-Pac-12 Teams

> Top coach and players and All-Conference offensive and defensive players, two teams deep


  By Jack Follman, SuperWest Sports

October 18, 2022



We’re already halfway through the Pac-12 season and it’s been an interesting year with Conference offenses soaring and defenses struggling.

Because of that, it’s almost impossible to decide on how to sort out All-Pac-12 at quarterback and some defensive positions.

Here are my picks at this point in the season for the top coach and All-Conference offensive and defensive players, two teams deep.

UCLA HC Chip Kelly |Ted S. Warren/Associated Press

Coach of the Year: Chip Kelly, UCLA

Kelly has had a revolution in the first half of the season in 2022.

The Bruins look like the best team in the Pac-12 overall and are set up for a run at their first Conference Championship in ages.

2nd: Dan Lanning, Oregon; 3rd: Lincoln Riley, USC

UCLA quarterback DTR | Libby Cline-Birmingham/Pasadena Star News

Offensive Player of the Year: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, QB, UCLA

DTR looks like he’s on a mission in the first half of his final session.

He’s the top reason why UCLA looked like the best team in the conference in Half One.

2nd: Cam Rising, QB, Utah; 3rd: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon

Utah CB Clark Phillips III | Deseret News

Defensive Player of the Year: Clark Phillips III, CB, Utah

Phillips is quietly having an all-time season in Salt Lake City this year.

He already has five interceptions (two for TDs) and is just impossibly good in coverage.

2nd: Tuli Tuipulotu, DE, USC; 3rd: Brandon Dorlus, DT, Oregon

Arizona P Kyle Ostendorp | Arizona Athletics

Special Teams Player of the Year: Kyle Ostendorp, P, Arizona

Not a very exciting year for special teams so far.

Ostendorp has been the conference’s best punter.

2nd: Camden Lewis, K, Oregon; 3rd: Joshua Karty, K, Stanford

Cal RB Jaydn Ott | Cal Athletics

Freshman of the Year: Jadyn Ott, RB, Cal

An easy choice and already one of the best running backs in the Conference.

He’s run for more than 500 yards in the first half and scored seven total touchdowns.

2nd: Francis Mauigoa, LB, Washington State; 3rd: Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 First Team – Offense

QB: Dorian Thompson-Robinson, Sr., UCLA: Exceptionally hard to sort through the excellent QB seasons in the first half of the season. DTR has been the closest to nearly flawless though.

Charbonnet

RB: Zach Charbonnet, Sr., UCLA: He’s been carving up opposing defenses all season. Easily the best back in the Conference so far.

RB: Travis Dye, Sr., USC: The Oregon veteran has kept things going now as a Trojan. He just racks up yards and touchdowns and makes big plays.

WR: Jordan Addison, Jr., USC: The Pitt transfer and Biletnikoff winner has lived up to the hype so far. Probably the best receiver in the Conference.

WR: Jacob Cowing, Jr., Arizona: The Baylor transfer is right there with Addison. He’s having a huge season as a Wildcat.

Kincaid

TE: Dalton Kincaid, Sr., Utah: Kincaid is putting up video game numbers as a tight end. He would be an All-Conference selection as a receiver with the stats he’s putting up.

OL: T.J. Bass, Sr., Oregon: He’s back as one of the best linemen in the conference again. Playing flawless football and racking up Offensive Lineman of the Week honors.

OL: Andrew Vorhees, Sr., USC: Vorhees is right there with Bass, a veteran lineman who is playing a big role in his team having a great first half of the season.

Neilon

OL: Brett Neilon, Sr., USC: He’s holding it down in the middle for the Trojans. Probably the best center in the Pac-12 this season thus far.

OL: Braeden Daniels, Jr., Utah: He’s putting together another First-Team All-Pac-12-level season for the Utes up front.

OL: Atonio Mafi, Sr., UCLA: Putting together his best season as a Bruin as a senior and taking their OL to the next level with him.


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 First Team Defense

DL: Tuli Tuipulotu, So., USC: He’s putting together a Defensive MVP-level season. The most disruptive defensive player in the Pac-12 so far in 2022.

Dorlus

DL: Brandon Dorlus, Jr., Oregon: He’s having another year as a big-time defender up front who is the backbone of Oregon’s defense. Should get All-American consideration.

DL: Laitu Latu, Jr., UCLA: Latu is back after starting at Washington and temporarily having to retire due to injury. He’s come back as the Pac-12’s best pure pass rusher in 2022.

DL: Jacob Sykes, Sr., UCLA: The Harvard transfer has been a big part of UCLA’s defense stepping up. He’s made a huge impact in the middle for the Bruins.

Henley

LB: Daiyan Henley, Sr., Washington State: The Nevada transfer has stepped right up in Pullman. He’s had a phenomenal year and is a Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

LB: Darius Muasau, Sr., UCLA: Another Mountain West grad transfer tearing it up in the Pac-12. He’s played first-team level all season helping UCLA to a great first half.

LB: Eric Gentry, So., USC: The Arizona State transfer is picking up where he left off as a Sun Devil and quickly becoming one of the best linebackers in the conference.

DB: Clark Phillips III, So., Utah: The only question is if he’s the best DB in the nation this year.

Grant

DB: Jaydon Grant, Sr., Oregon State: He’s competing for Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week seemingly almost every week. One of the best veteran DBs in the conference.

DB: Christian Gonzalez, So., Oregon: The Colorado transfer has quickly evolved into a standout DB who is getting First-Round NFL Draft pick buzz.

DB: Stephan Blaylock, Sr., UCLA: Like DTR, he’s really stepping up in his senior season. He’s playing at a lights-out level right now.


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 First Team Special Teams

K: Camden Lewis, Jr., Oregon: He’s made every field goal he’s tried this year.

P: Kyle Ostendorp, Jr., Arizona: Averaging the best per-punt in the conference this year.

R: Anthony Gould, So., Oregon State: The only player to return a punt or kick for a touchdown this year in the Conference so far.


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 Second Team Offense

QB: Cam Rising, Jr., Utah
RB: Xazavian Valladay, Sr., Arizona State
RB: Jaydn Ott, Fr., Cal
WR: Rome Odunze, So., Washington
WR: Jalen McMillan, So., Washington
TE: Brant Kuithe, Sr., Utah
OL: Jarrett Kingston, Jr., Washington State
OL: Jordan Morgan, Jr., Arizona
OL: Alex Forsyth, Sr., Oregon
OL: Brandon Kipper, Sr., Oregon State
OL: Joshua Gray, Jr., Oregon State


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 Second Team Defense

DL: Brennan Jackson, Jr., Washington State
DL: Jeremiah Martin, Sr., Washington
DL: Gabe Reid, Sr., Utah
DL: Hunter Echols, Sr., Arizona
LB: Karene Reid, So., Utah
LB: Kyle Soelle, Sr., Arizona State
LB: Jerry Roberts, Sr., Arizona
DB: Mekhi Blackmon, Sr., USC
DB: Kitan Oladapo, Jr., Oregon State
DB: Armani Marsh, Sr., Washington State
DB: Daniel Scott, Sr., Cal


Mid-Season All-Pac-12 Second Team Special Teams

K: Joshua Karty, Jr., Stanford
P: Jamieson Sheahan, Sr., Cal
R: Daniyel Ngata, So., Arizona State

[Compare Jack’s Midseason All-Pac-12 picks with our Writers’ Preseason Picks ]