Ott Wins 2nd Straight Pac-12 Freshman Player of the Week

SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 today announced its 2022 football season's second weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week 2's recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:

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

Williams went 20-for-27 (74%) for 341 yards and 4 TD, leading the Trojans to a 41-28 victory over Stanford.

He has yet to throw an INT in the 2022 season in 49 pass attempts.

USC's 41 points are the most points scored versus Stanford since USC scored 45 points in its victory over the Cardinal in 2019.  With Williams at the helm, the Trojans had 505 yards in total offense against the Cardinal.

Now ranks second nationally in completion percentage (.796 and first in the Pac-12 Conference) and passing efficiency (221.1 and first in the Pac-12 Conference). He is also third nationally in yards per attempt (12.04 and first in the Pac-12 Conference).

Was named the CFPA National Performer of Week

First time winning this award in the Pac-12 but was the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week twice last season at Oklahoma.  First USC player to earn this honor since Jaxson Dart in Week 3 of last season.

Also nominated: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon;  Deshaun Fenwick, RB, Oregon State; Michael Penix, Jr., QB, Washington; Michael WIley, RB, Arizona, X Valladay, RB, Arizona State; Dalton Kincaid, TE, Utah; Nakia Watson, RB, Washington State

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

DEFENSE:  Kitan Oladapo, RS Jr., DB, Oregon State (Happy Valley, Ore.)

Led Oregon State with a career-best 15 tackles as the Beavers improved to 2-0 for the first time since 2014.  15 tackles surpassed his previous career best of 10 set against Oregon in 2021.

Picked up a 12-yard sack on 3rd and 13 for Fresno State in the third quarter, forcing Fresno State to punt.

Now has 31 tackles over his last four games.

Second straight week a Beaver has won this award (Jaydon Grant) and the first time for Oladapo.  It's the first time Oregon State has claimed this award in back-to-back weeks since November 2008 (Stephen Paea & Greg Laybourn)

Also nominated: Daiyan Henley, LB, Washington State; Kyle Soelle, LB, Arizona State; Max Williams, DB, USC; Casey Rogers, DT, Oregon; Junior Tafuna, DT, Utah; Grayson Murphy, DL, UCLA; Jaxen Turner, S, Arizona

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Renard Bell, 6th Yr., WR/KR, Washington State (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Bell returned two kickoffs for a total of 82 yards, 41.0 ypr. He added two receptions for 49 yards on the day.

His 73-yard return to open the second half sparked WSU as the Cougar offense capitalized on great field position and capped a 7-play, 18-yard drive with a field goal to cut Wisconsin's lead to 4 at 14-10.

The 73-yard kickoff return was a career-long for the sixth-year senior.

First time winning this award and first WSU player to earn this honor since punter Dean Janikowski took it home in the final week of last season.  The last kick returner to win for the Cougars was Travell Harris in Week 2 of 2021.

Also nominated:  Luke Loecher, P, Oregon State; Jordan Noyes, K, Utah; Kyle Ostendorp, P, Arizona; Alex Stadthaus, PK, USC

OFFENSIVE LINE:  Jarrett Kingston, RS Jr., OL, Washington State (Anderson, Calif.)

Anchored an offensive line that kept WSU in the game en route to a 17-14 victory at No. 19 Wisconsin.

Did not allow a pressure on WSU's 50 snaps.

The WSU offensive line led the way on the final drive, sparking a 10-play, 43-yard drive over 5:14 as the clock expired, giving WSU the win.

First time winning this award.  Last WSU player to take home this award was Liam Ryan in Week 6 of 2021.

Also nominated: Joshua Gray, Oregon State; Alex Forsyth, Oregon; Corey Luciano, Washington; Braeden Daniels, Utah; Andrew Vorhees, USC; Josh Baker, Arizona

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

Recorded 6 tackles, including 4 for loss for 19 yards (with 1 sack for 11 yards).

At the beginning of the third quarter, Tuipulotu broke up a pass from Stanford QB Tanner McKee intended for WR Michael Wilson. In the same quarter, he also forced a fumble by Stanford RB E.J. Smith which was recovered by fellow Trojan teammate DB Jacobe Covington for a turnover.

First time winning this award and the third different Trojan to earn this since the award was created prior to the 2019 season.  Tuli's older brother, Marlon Tuipulotu, took home the award in the first week of the 2020 season while Drake Jackson has won it twice, once in 2020 and again in 2021.

Also nominated:  Brennan Jackson, EDGE, Washington State; Hunter Echols, DE, Arizona; Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington; Casey Rogers, DT, Oregon; James Rawls, DL, Oregon State; Connor O'Toole, DE, Utah; Grayson Murphy, DL, UCLA

FRESHMAN:  Jaydn Ott, Fr., RB, California (Chino, Calif.)

Defending Pac-12 Freshman of the Week had yet another strong performance in his second game at Cal by becoming the first Golden Bear in three seasons to score both a rushing and receiving touchdown in the same game in Cal's 20-14 win over UNLV.

Scored touchdowns on Cal's first two drives with the second coming in dramatic fashion on fourth-and-two from the UNLV 12 with an acrobatic leap into the end zone after receiving a Jack Plummer pass in the flat.

Finished with seven rushes for a team-high 52 yards on the ground while adding a career-high three receptions for 16 yards.

After two games, Ott is fourth in the Pac-12 in both total rushing yards (156) and rushing yards per game (78.0 ypg).

First Cal player to win this award in back-to-back weeks since it was created in 2019.  Oregon's Noah Sewell won back-to-back last season and in 2020 it was Washington's Dylan Morris winning it in consecutive weeks and Utah's Ty Jordan winning it the final 3 weeks of the season.  The last time Cal won any Pac-12 weekly award in back-to-back weeks was in 2015 when Kyle Kragen won Defensive Player of the Week on September 28 and Stefan McClure took it home the next week on October 5.

Also nominated:  Jaylon Glover, RB, Utah; Lake McRee, TE, USC; Damien Martinez, RB, Oregon State; Jalen Woods, LB, UCLA; Tetairoa McMillan, WR, Arizona

Prior Awards

Sept. 6

Offensive: Jayden de Laura, Arizona

Defensive: Jaydon Grant, Oregon State

Special Teams:Carter Brown, Arizona State

OL: Brandon Kipper, Oregon State

DL:Jalen Harris, Arizona

Freshman: Jaydn Ott, California

Related:

Ott Wins Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in Cal Debut

New Contributors Give Bears a Golden Outlook This Season