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Ott Earns 3rd Frosh and 1st Offensive Player of the Week Awards, Coleman Earns OL Nod

September 26, 2022
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SAN FRANCISCO - The Pac-12 today announced its 2022 football season's fourth weekly performance awards, presented by Nextiva. See below for Week 4's recognitions across the Conference and keep track of the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year watchlist here:

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

Ott rewrote much of Cal's record book with his performance Saturday when he rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in the Golden Bears' 49-31 home victory over Arizona.

Set the Pac-12 record for rushing yards in a game by a freshman, surpassing Oregon State RB Jermar Jefferson's 254 against Arizona State in 2018.  274 yards rushing were the most in an FBS game since Oct. 16, 2021, the most by an FBS freshman since Nov. 17, 2018, and the most by an FBS true freshman since Nov. 26, 2015. It was also the third-most ever at Cal and the most ever by a Golden Bear freshman.

Ott's three touchdowns are tied for the most by a Pac-12 player in a game in 2022 both rushing and overall, while he became the first Cal player to rush for three touchdowns or more in a game since 2017 and only third Golden Bear to do it since 2011.

Had touchdown runs of 73 and 72 yards to become the first Pac-12 player with two runs of 70 or more yards in a game since 2020 and the first Cal player since 2008. Ott's 73-yard touchdown run was Cal's longest since 2021 and the longest by a Cal freshman since 2013.

Cal's 49 points scored were its most since 2018 while their 354 yards rushing as a team were their most since 2003.

Had Pro Football Focus' top "rushing run grade" (94.4) while his "rushing offensive grade" (91.8) against the Wildcats was No. 1 among the country's FBS halfbacks.  

Through four games, Ott leads the Pac-12 in rushing yards (463), rushing yards per game (115.75), yards per rush (8.3) and all-purpose yards per game (131.5), while he is tied for first in rushing touchdowns (4). Also ranks third in the nation in yards per rush, as well as 11th in total rushing yards and rushing yards per game.

Leads all freshmen nationally in rush yards per carry, rushing yards, rushing yards per game, and all-purpose yards per game while ranking second in all-purpose yards per game, tied for fifth in total touchdowns and tied for 11th in rushing touchdowns.

Just the 4th player to win both Offensive Player of the Week and Freshman of the Week simultaneously since the freshman award was created prior to the 2019 season.  In 2019, USC QB Kedon Slovis pulled it off twice (Week 2 & 11) while ASU QB Jayden Daniels also did it in Week 13.  In 2021, USC QB Jaxson Dart won both awards in Week 3. 

Also just the 3rd player to win Freshman of the Week three times.  Daniels was honored four times while Utah RB Ty Jordan won it in the final 3 weeks of the 2020 season.  Ott was previously the Pac-12 Freshman of the Week in each of the first two weeks of the 2022 season after his performances in wins over UC Davis and UNLV.

First Cal player to win Offensive Player of the Week since QB Davis Webb in Week 5 of the 2016 season.

Also nominated for Offense: Bo Nix, QB, Oregon; Travis Dye, RB, USC; Jam Griffin, RB, Oregon State;  Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona; Rome Odunze, WR, Washington; Zach Charbonnet, RB, UCLA; Cameron Rising, QB, Utah; Jayden de Laura, QB, Arizona

Also nominated for Freshman:  Lander Barton, LB, Utah; Jordan James, RB, Oregon; Ceyair Wright, DB, USC; Carter Brown, K, Arizona State; Owen McCown, QB, Colorado

DEFENSE:  Laiatu Latu, RS Jr., DE, UCLA (Sacramento, Calif.)

Registered a career-best 3.0 sacks in leading UCLA to a 45-17 win at Colorado. Latu totaled four tackles on the day, including a 3.5 tackles for loss. He added a forced fumble and was also credited with a pass defended. The forced fumble led to a short field and a two-play touchdown drive for the Bruins.

First Bruin to win Defensive Player of the Week since LB Keisean Lucier-South in Week 7 of the 2018 season. 

Also nominated: Eric Gentry, ILB, USC; Karene Reid, LB, Utah; Noah Sewell, ILB, Oregon; Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State

SPECIAL TEAMS:  Peyton Henry, Sr., PK, Washington (Danville, Calif.)

Henry, the Pac-12 Conference's leading scorer, made all four of his field-goal attempts, as well as four PATs, to account for 16 points as the Huskies beat Stanford, 40-22.

Connected on field goals of 35, 47, 32 and 26 yards, tying his career high for field goals in a game. The 47-yard was the second-longest made field goal of his career.

Second time Henry has won this award, also earning it in Week 9 of last season.

Also nominated:  Trent Carrizosa, P, Colorado; Camden Lewis, K, Oregon; Jordan Noyes, K, Utah; Aadyn Sleep-Dalton, P, USC; Carter Brown, K, Arizona State

OFFENSIVE LINE:  Ben Coleman, RS Jr., LT, California (Murrieta, Calif.)

Coleman played a key role in helping Jaydn Ott rewrite much of Cal's record book with Ott's performance Saturday when he rushed for 274 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries in the Golden Bears' 49-31 home victory over Arizona.

Played all 70 snaps at left tackle and was the only Cal offensive lineman to start at the same position as the previous contest at Notre Dame. Coleman had three pancake blocks and his 93% grade from the Cal coaches was the highest on the offensive line.

Cal's 49 points scored was their most since 2018 while their 354 yards rushing as a team was the most for the Golden Bears since 2003 and 599 yards of total offense the most since 2021. The offensive line did not allow a sack and gave up only 2.0 tackles for loss (-4 yards).

Ott's 274 yards rushing were the most in an FBS game since Oct. 16, 2021, the most by an FBS freshman since Nov. 17, 2018, and the most by an FBS true freshman since Nov. 26, 2015. Ott's 274 yards rushing were also the third-most ever at Cal and the most ever by a Golden Bear or Pac-12 freshman. Ott's three touchdowns are tied for the most by a Pac-12 player in 2022 both rushing and overall, while he became the first Cal player to rush for three touchdowns or more in a game since 2017 and only the third Golden Bear to do it since 2011. Ott had touchdown runs of 73 and 72 yards to become the first Pac-12 player with two runs of 70 or more yards in a game since 2020 and the first Cal player since 2008. Ott's 73-yard touchdown run was Cal's longest since 2021 and the longest by a Cal freshman since 2013.

Second time Coleman has earned this honor, having been selected in Week 12 of last year.  He's the only Cal player to have won this award since its inception prior to the 2019 season.

Also nominated: T.J. Bass, LT, Oregon; Justin Dedich, RG, USC; Braeden Daniels, LT, Utah; Henry Bainivalu, RG, Washington

DEFENSIVE LINE:  Mase Funa, Jr., OLB, Oregon (Anaheim, Calif.)   

Sealed Oregon's 44-41 comeback win at Washington State with a 27-yard pick-six late in the fourth quarter, his first career interception and first career touchdown.

First Duck to return an interception for a touchdown since Bennett Williams on Sept. 25, 2021.  Added four tackles and assisted on a tackle for loss.

Oregon's highest-graded defender by Pro Football Focus at 86.7, including a stellar 92.7 coverage grade.

Second straight week a Duck has earned this honor after Brandon Dorlus was a co-winner in Week 3.  Funa, with his first time being recognized, becomes the 5th different Oregon player to win this award since it was created prior to the 2019 season.  

Also nominated:  Laiatu Latu, DE, UCLA; Bralen Trice, EDGE, Washington; Nesta Jade Silvera, DL, Arizona State; Sione Lolohea, DL, Oregon State; Gabe Reid, DE, Utah; Tuli Tuipulotu, USC

Offensive, Defensive, Special Teams, Offensive
Line, Defensive Line and Freshman prior award winners

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

Sept. 12: Offensive: Caleb Williams, USC, Defensive: Kitan Oladapo, Oregon State, Special Teams Renard Bell, Washington State, OL: Jarrett Kingston, Washington State, DL: Tuli Tuipulotu, USC, Freshman: Jaydn Ott, California

Sept. 19: Offensive: Michael Penix Jr., Washington, Defensive: Daiyan Henley, Washington State, Special Teams: Nicholas Barr-Mira, UCLA, OL: Troy Fautanu, Washington, DL: Hunter Echols, Arizona & Brandon Dorlus, Oregon, Freshman: Ja'Lynn Polk, Washington

Discussion from...

Ott Earns 3rd Frosh and 1st Offensive Player of the Week Awards, Coleman Earns OL Nod

3,633 Views | 9 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by ClevelandBear
Big C
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Calegends.com
KoreAmBear
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We have a special thing going on here. Let's go Jaydn!
MilleniaBear
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Ott does everything! I spotted this in the Cal/AZ media guide:

Jaydn Ott, RB, 6-0, 205, Fr., 3rd Collegiate Season Ray Guy Award Preseason Watch List

Methinks there be a correction for this. Probably should have been Sheehan.
79 Bear
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and Heisman.

From ESPN, which is tracking Heisman-like performances on a weekly basis this year:

Here is this week's Heisman top 10:
1. Hendon Hooker, Tennessee (22-for-28 for 349 yards and 2 TDs, plus 112 rushing yards and 1 TD vs. Florida)
2. Jalon Daniels, Kansas (19-for-23 for 324 yards and 4 TDs, plus 83 rushing yards and 1 TD vs. Duke)
3. Adrian Martinez, Kansas State (21-for-34 for 234 yards and 1 TD, plus 148 rushing yards and 4 TDs vs. Oklahoma)
4. Blake Corum, Michigan (243 rushing yards and 2 TDs vs. Maryland)
5. Chase Cunningham, MTSU (16-for-25 for 408 yards, 3 TDs and 1 INT, plus 29 rushing yards and 1 TD vs. Miami)
6. DJ Uiagalelei, Clemson (26-for-41 for 371 yards and 5 TDs, plus 52 rushing yards vs. Wake Forest)
7. Jaydn Ott, Cal (274 rushing yards and 3 TDs, plus 10 receiving yards vs. Arizona)
8. Will Anderson Jr., Alabama (5 tackles, 3 TFLs and 2.5 sacks vs. Vanderbilt)
9. Sam Hartman, Wake Forest (20-for-29 for 337 yards and 6 TDs vs. Clemson)
10. C.J. Stroud, Ohio State (17-for-27 for 281 yards, 5 TDs and 1 INT vs. Wisconsin)
Sebastabear
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Big C said:


Calegends.com
Bless you. Beat me to it.

Just an unbelievable performance. I haven't been this excited about a Cal player since Jahvid Best. Sat with a (very knowledgeable) UCLA friend at the game on Saturday. He was blown away. First comment out of his mouth when Ott touched the ball was "Who the hell is that????" I had to pull out the roster to prove his was a true freshman ("There's absolutely no way. Freshman don't have balance and vision like that . . . .")

We need to show him some love.
KenBurnski
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Also plan on sending Siope some love this week. Need the big boys happy and full.
Big C
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Sebastabear said:

Big C said:


Calegends.com
Bless you. Beat me to it.

Just an unbelievable performance. I haven't been this excited about a Cal player since Jahvid Best. Sat with a (very knowledgeable) UCLA friend at the game on Saturday. He was blown away. First comment out of his mouth when Ott touched the ball was "Who the hell is that????" I had to pull out the roster to prove his was a true freshman ("There's absolutely no way. Freshman don't have balance and vision like that . . . .")

We need to show him some love.

I was hesitant to jump too far onto the Jayden Ott Bandwagon too early, because small sample size, but it's clear after the last game that this guy's got the magic (and not just his two 70+ yard runs).

You mentioned Jahvid and, going back further, there was Russell White (okay, he was a sophomore when he first played, but still) and Mark Hicks as a true freshman in the '80s. First year running backs with whom you started comparing their runs and asking which one was the most amazing. Brendan Bigelow, too. Let's hope Ott excels at Cal longer than Hicks and Bigelow.

Still too early to rank him in the Pantheon... until we've kept him healthy and at Cal for a few years. I feel like the coaches are breaking him in just right this season. We can all help with him staying.

This is a guy that people will be paying to see play, so let's do that so we can see him play at Cal!
Unit2Sucks
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One odd thing I noticed is that the Pac-12 said Saturday's 354 rushing yards were Cal's most since 2003. But when Javhid went bananas at Washington we had 431 yards!

ClevelandBear
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Big C said:

Sebastabear said:

Big C said:


Calegends.com
Bless you. Beat me to it.

Just an unbelievable performance. I haven't been this excited about a Cal player since Jahvid Best. Sat with a (very knowledgeable) UCLA friend at the game on Saturday. He was blown away. First comment out of his mouth when Ott touched the ball was "Who the hell is that????" I had to pull out the roster to prove his was a true freshman ("There's absolutely no way. Freshman don't have balance and vision like that . . . .")

We need to show him some love.

I was hesitant to jump too far onto the Jayden Ott Bandwagon too early, because small sample size, but it's clear after the last game that this guy's got the magic (and not just his two 70+ yard runs).

You mentioned Jahvid and, going back further, there was Russell White (okay, he was a sophomore when he first played, but still) and Mark Hicks as a true freshman in the '80s. First year running backs with whom you started comparing their runs and asking which one was the most amazing. Brendan Bigelow, too. Let's hope Ott excels at Cal longer than Hicks and Bigelow.

Still too early to rank him in the Pantheon... until we've kept him healthy and at Cal for a few years. I feel like the coaches are breaking him in just right this season. We can all help with him staying.

This is a guy that people will be paying to see play, so let's do that so we can see him play at Cal!
Bigelow was a huge letdown after his promising start to his Cal career. Ott feels different. I sure hope so!
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