Deng Named Pac-12 Defensive Player Of The Week

SAN FRANCISCO – Kuony Deng was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career on Monday for his performance in the Golden Bears' 21-17 home win over No. 23/21/20 Oregon on Saturday at California Memorial Stadium. Deng is the first Cal player to win a weekly honor from the Pac-12 since Evan Weaver earned his second of last season on September 23, 2019.

Deng forced a pair of fourth-quarter fumbles in Cal territory that were both recovered by Cal to end potential go-ahead drives including the final one just inside the one-minute mark recovered at the Cal 36-yardline on the Ducks' final offensive play of the game. The two forced fumbles were the first two of his Cal career.

Deng also had a game-high-tying and team-high eight tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss (-6 yards) and 0.5 sacks (-2 yards) while leading a Cal defense that pitched its first second-half shutout since Nov. 10, 2018, in a 15-14 win at USC, while holding an Oregon team that had been averaging a Pac-12 best 38.5 points per game coming into the contest to 17 points.

The victory was Cal's first of the season after opening 0-3 and marked the fourth consecutive campaign in the first four years under head coach Justin Wilcox that the Golden Bears have defeated a top-20 team.

Additional notes:
 
Kuony Deng, ILB, 6-6, 250, Sr., 1L, Aldie, VA (Independence Community College/Virginia Military Institute/John Champe HS)

– Has started all four games as a 2020 senior and leads the team with 31 tackles, while adding 2.5 tackles for loss (-9 yards), 0.5 sacks (-2 yards), one quarterback hurry and two forced fumbles

– Ranks tied for fourth in the Pac-12 and tied for fifth nationally with an average of 0.5 forced fumbles per game as a senior

– On watch lists for the Bednarik Award and the Lott IMPACT Trophy honoring the nation's top defensive player as well as the Butkus® Award recognizing the country's top linebacker; a member of the Reese's Senior Bowl Top 250; a first-team preseason All-Pac-12 of Phil Steele, second-team choice of Athlon Sports, Jon Wilner of the Bay Area News Group, Pick Six Previews and the Pac-12 media, and a third-team pick of Lindy's; and the preseason California Region Defensive Player of the Year and All-California Region by SportsPac12 as a senior

– Has played in and started all 17 games possible since the beginning of the 2019 season and posted career totals of 150 tackles, 10.0 tackles for loss (-36 yards), 3.5 sacks (-14 yards), eight pass breakups, eight passes defended, six quarterback hurries and one fumble recovery