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Oregon's Bo Nix, UCLA's Laiatu Latu headline AP All-Pac-12 honors

JOHN MARSHALL
·5 min read
Oregon's Troy Franklin celebrates his second quarter touchdown against Colorado in Eugene on Sept. 23.
Oregon's Troy Franklin celebrates his second quarter touchdown against Colorado in Eugene on Sept. 23.

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix is The Associated Press Pac-12 offensive player of the year and UCLA's Laiatu Latu is the defensive player of the year.

Washington's Kalen DeBoer earned Pac-12 coach of the year honors and Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders is the newcomer of the year in the team released Thursday.

Nix has had a stellar two-year run since transferring from Auburn, capped by earning a spot in New York as a Heisman Trophy finalist.

Nix led the nation with 40 touchdown passes and a completion percentage of 77.2%, slightly below the major college football record. He was second nationally with 318.8 yards passing per game and threw for 4,145 yards to become the second Oregon quarterback to throw for more than 4,000 yards in a season, joining Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota, who threw for 4,454 yards in 2014.

Nix had No. 8 Oregon within reach of a possible College Football Playoff spot, but the Ducks lost to Washington for the second time this season in the Pac-12 championship.

Latu led the nation in tackles for loss per game at 1.8 and was fourth in sacks at 1.08 per game, with 13 total. The 6-foot-5, 265-pound senior also had 10 quarterback hits and was third on UCLA's defense with 49 tackles despite being the focus for opposing offenses.

DeBoer has quickly returned No. 2 Washington to prominence since taking over the job two years ago, leading the Huskies to the Alamo Bowl last year and a spot in the CFP this year. Washington finished first nationally in passing yards behind Michael Penix Jr., averaging 343.8 per game, and will face No. 3 Texas in the Sugar Bowl in the national semifinals.

Sanders had a stellar first season after transferring from Jackson State.

Coach Deion Sanders' son led Colorado to three eye-opening wins to start the season and continued to produce after Buffaloes fell off. Sanders threw for 3,230 yards and 27 touchdowns with three interceptions while completing 69% of his passes.

The 2023 Associated Press All-Pac-12 Conference team, as selected by a panel of seven sports writers who regularly cover the league. Players at all positions are listed alphabetically with name, school, height, weight, class and hometown; “u-” denotes unanimous selections:

Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze (1) is brought down by Oregon State linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (5) during the first half of the game on Nov. 18 in Corvallis.
Washington wide receiver Rome Odunze (1) is brought down by Oregon State linebacker Easton Mascarenas-Arnold (5) during the first half of the game on Nov. 18 in Corvallis.

First team offense

u-WR - Rome Odunze, Washington, 6-3, 215, Jr, Las Vegas

WR - Troy Franklin, Oregon, 6-3, 187, Jr, East Palo Alto, California

T - Taliese Fuaga, Oregon St, 6-6, 330, Jr, Tacoma, Washington

T - Jordan Morgan, Arizona, 6-5, 325, Sr, Marana, Arizona

G - Steven Jones, Oregon, 6-5, 340, Sr, Temecula, California

G - Tanner Miller, Oregon St, 6-1, 287, Jr, Valencia, California

u-C - Jackson Powers-Johnson, Oregon, 6-3, 320, Jr, Draper, Utah

TE - Jack Velling, Oregon St, 6-4, 241, Jr, Seattle

QB – Bo Nix, Oregon, 6-2, 217, Sr, Pinson, Alabama

RB – Jayden Ott, California, 6-0, 200, So, Chino, California

RB - Damien Martinez, Oregon St, 6-0, 232, So, Lewisville, Texas

PK - Joshua Karty, Stanford, 6-2, 208, Sr, Burlington, North Carolina

All-Purpose – Travis Hunter, Colorado, 6-1, 185, So, Suwanee, Georgia

UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu (left) pressures Arizona State quarterback Trenton Bourguet during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Nov. 11 in Pasadena, Calif.
UCLA defensive lineman Laiatu Latu (left) pressures Arizona State quarterback Trenton Bourguet during the second half of an NCAA college football game on Nov. 11 in Pasadena, Calif.

First team defense

u-DE - Laiatu Latu, UCLA, 6-5, 265, Sr, Sacramento, California

DE - Brandon Dorlus, Oregon, 6-3, 290, Sr, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

DT - Jonah Elliss, Utah, 6-2, 246, Jr, Moscow, Idaho

DT - Gabriel Murphy, UCLA, 6-3, 260, Jr, Dallas

LB - Edefuan Ulofoshio, Washington, 6-1, 236, Sr, Anchorage

LB - Easton Mascarenas-Arnold, Oregon St, 5-11, 228, Jr, Mission Viejo, California

LB - Jacob Manu, Arizona, 5-11, 225, So, Santa Ana, California

CB - Jabbar Muhammad, Washington, 5-10, 183, Jr, DeSoto, Texas

CB - Khyree Jackson, Oregon, 6-3, 195, Sr, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

S - Calen Bullock, USC, 6-3, 190, Jr, Pasadena, California

S - Kitan Oladapo, Oregon St, 6-1, 217, Sr, Happy Valley, Oregon

P - Jack Bouwmeester, Utah, 6-2, 202, So, Bendigo, Australia

Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) carries the ball against the Washington Huskies in the first half at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 1 in Las Vegas.
Oregon Ducks wide receiver Tez Johnson (15) carries the ball against the Washington Huskies in the first half at Allegiant Stadium Dec. 1 in Las Vegas.

Second team offense

WR - Tetairoa McMillan, Arizona, 6-5, 210, So, Waimanalo, Hawaii

WR - Tez Johnson, Oregon, 5-10, 160, Jr, Pinson, Alabama

T - Troy Fautanu, Washington, 6-4, 317, Jr, Henderson, Nevada

T - Jonah Monheim, USC, 6-5, 300, Jr, Moorpark, California

G - Parker Brailsford, Washington, 6-2, 275, Fr, Mesa, Arizona

G - Wendell Moe, Arizona, 6-2, 340, Fr, Long Beach, California

C - Jake Levengood, Oregon St, 6-4, 294, Sr, Vacaville, California

TE - Tanner McLachlan, Arizona, 6-5, 235, Sr, Lethbridge, British Columbia

QB – Michael Penix Jr., Washington, 6-3, 213, Sr, Tampa, Florida

RB - Dillon Johnson, Washington, 6-0, 218, Jr, Greenville, Mississippi

RB – Bucky Irving, Oregon, 5-10, 195, Jr, Chicago

PK - Atticus Sappington, Oregon St, 5-10, 188, So, Portland, Oregon

All-Purpose - Zachariah Branch, USC, 5-10, 175, Fr, Las Vegas

Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders (21) runs for a touchdown after making an interception against the Colorado State Rams during the first half at Folsom Field in Sept. 2023.
Colorado Buffaloes safety Shilo Sanders (21) runs for a touchdown after making an interception against the Colorado State Rams during the first half at Folsom Field in Sept. 2023.

Second team defense

DE - Bralen Trice, Washington, 6-4, 274, Jr, Phoenix

DE - Brennan Jackson, Washington St, 6-4, 264, Sr, Temecula, California

DT - B.J. Green II, Arizona State, 6-1, 270, Jr, Atlanta

DT - Tuli Letuligasenoa, Washington, 6-1, 292, Sr, Concord, California

LB - Darius Muasau, UCLA, 6-1, 230, Sr, Ewa Beach, Hawaii

LB - Jeffrey Bassa, Oregon, 6-2, 230, Jr, Salt Lake City

LB - Kaleb Elarms-Orr, California, 6-2, 230. So, Hayward, California

CB - Travis Hunter, Colorado, 6-1, 185, So, Suwanee, Georgia

CB – Tacario Davis, Arizona, 6-4, 195, So, Long Beach, California

S - Sione Vaki, Utah, 6-0, 208, So, Antioch, California

S - Shilo Sanders, Colorado, 6-0, 195, Sr, Canton, Texas

P - Mark Vassett, Colorado, 6-4, 225, Jr, Melbourne, Australia

Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws down field against Oregon State during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium Nov. 24 in Eugene.
Oregon quarterback Bo Nix throws down field against Oregon State during the second quarter at Autzen Stadium Nov. 24 in Eugene.

Players of the year

Offensive Player of the Year – Bo Nix, Oregon

Defensive Player of the Year – Laiatu Latu, UCLA

Coach of the Year – Kalen DeBoer, Washington

Newcomer of the Year – Shedeur Sanders, Colorado

All-Pac-12 voting panel

Michelle Gardner, Arizona Republic; Michael Lev, Arizona Daily Star; Brian Howell, Bouler Daily Camera; Mike Vorel, Seattle Times; James Crepea, The Oregonian; Mark Whicker, Southern California News Group; Josh Furlong, KSL.com Sports.

This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: AP All-Pac-12 honors: Oregon's Bo Nix, UCLA's Laiatu Latu headline