Pac-12 football: Our picks for postseason award winners and the all-conference team

The Pac-12 will announce its 2023 all-conference teams and postseason award winners on Tuesday. The head coaches were permitted to wait for the result of the conference championship game before casting their ballots.

We see no reason to wait for the official reveal.

The Hotline’s selections …

Coach of the Year: Washington’s Kalen DeBoer

In the end, it was an easy decision. Arizona’s Jedd Fisch did marvelous work turning the Wildcats into a nine-win team in his third season. But DeBoer did what no head coach has accomplished in the 13 years of the conference’s expansion era: He won every game. And nothing beats 13-0. If DeBoer doesn’t claim the official honor on Tuesday, it’s because the coaches are playing politics.

Offensive Player of the Year: Washington QB Michael Penix Jr.

Loads of terrific candidates for this honor, including two receivers: Oregon’s Troy Franklin and Washington’s Rome Odunze. But Penix led his team through a November gauntlet and emerged with a perfect record and playoff invitation. And along the way, he made all the throws he absolutely had to make, especially on third and fourth down.

Defensive Player of the Year: UCLA Edge Laiatu Latu

Latu entered the season in the spotlight and brought the havoc on a weekly basis. He leads the nation in tackles-for-loss and leads all Power Five players in sacks. The Bruins fielded one of the Pac-12’s best defenses, and it starts with Latu.

Freshman Offensive Player of the Year: Arizona QB Noah Fifita

The easiest call of them all. Fifita replaced injured starter Jayden de Laura in late September and led the Wildcats to a 6-2 record and third-place finish. His production was top-notch; his poise was even better.

Freshman Defensive Player of the Year: Cal LB Cade Uluave

We assessed a bevy of candidates here but selected Uluave for his all-around impact: 6.5 tackles-for-loss, two interceptions, two fumbles forced and a scoop-and-score.

Now, our all-conference selections …

First team

Offense

QB: Washington’s Michael Penix Jr.
TB: Oregon State’s Damien Martinez
TB: Cal’s Jaydn Ott
WR: Oregon’s Troy Franklin
WR: Washington’s Rome Odunze
WR: Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan
TE: Oregon’s Terrance Ferguson
OL: Washington’s Troy Fautanu
OL: Oregon’s Jackson Powers-Johnson
OL: Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga
OL: Cal’s Brian Driscoll
OL: Arizona’s Jonah Savaiinaea

Defense

DL: Utah’s Jonah Elliss
DL: Oregon’s Taki Taimani
DL: UCLA’s Gabriel Murphy
Edge: UCLA’s Laiatu Latu
LB: Arizona’s Jacob Manu
LB: Oregon State’s Easton Mascarenas-Arnold
DB: Colorado’s Travis Hunter
DB: Washington’s Jabbar Muhammad
DB: Oregon’s Khyree Jackson
DB: Arizona’s Tacario Davis
DB: Washington State’s Jaden Hicks

Specialists

K: Stanford’s Joshua Karty
P: Cal’s Lachlan Wilson
Ret: USC’s Zachariah Branch

Second team

Offense

QB: Oregon’s Bo Nix
TB: Washington’s Dillon Johnson
TB: Oregon’s Bucky Irving
WR: Arizona’s Jacob Cowing
WR: Washington State’s Lincoln Victor
WR: Stanford’s Elic Ayomanor
TE: Arizona State’s Jaylin Conyers
OL: Oregon State’s Joshua Gray
OL: Washington’s Roger Rosengarten
OL: Oregon’s Steven Jones
OL: Utah’s Keaton Bills
OL: Arizona’s Jordan Morgan

Defense

DL: Washington State’s Brennan Jackson
DL: Washington’s Tuli Letuligasenoa
DL: Oregon’s Brandon Dorlus
Edge: Arizona’s Taylor Upshaw
LB: Oregon State’s Andrew Chatfield
LB: UCLA’s Darius Muasau
DB: Utah’s Cole Bishop
DB: Stanford’s Collin Wright
DB: Cal’s Craig Woodson
DB: USC’s Calen Bullock
DB: Colorado’s Shilo Sanders

Specialists

K: Oregon State’s Atticus Sappington
P: Utah’s Jack Bouwmeester
Ret: Arizona State’s Elijhah Badger

*** Send suggestions, comments and tips (confidentiality guaranteed) to pac12hotline@bayareanewsgroup.com or call 408-920-5716

*** Follow me on Twitter: @WilnerHotline

*** Pac-12 Hotline is not endorsed or sponsored by the Pac-12 Conference, and the views expressed herein do not necessarily reflect the views of the Conference.