Posted on October 30, 2020
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How should we burn the last week of the longest offseason in Pac-12 football history? Let’s debate the best Pac-12 players of the 2010 decade!
To put these together, I factor in one-year greatness combined with career greatness and anything a player did prior to 2010 doesn’t count. Equally, nothing from their pro career is factored in, as sometimes these lists over-rate players based on their NFL accomplishments, or lack thereof.
So let’s get into it. We have four full teams to debate, and I didn’t do special teams because I don’t really care. You’ll find a tally of players by program at the end of each section, and a totals in the table at the bottom of the page.
First-Team Offense
QB — Marcus Mariota, Oregon
No question here and that’s impressive given that Andrew Luck was also at his best this decade. The Pac-12’s only Heisman winner of the decade also pushed Oregon to a Rose Bowl victory and National Championship game while obliterating stat sheets, especially in 2014, when he put together just a ridiculous year.
RB — Christian McCaffrey, Stanford
The Stanford all-purpose back put together one of the best single seasons that any Pac-12 player ever had at any position in 2015. He should have won the Heisman, giving the Pac-12 back-to-back honors.
RB — LaMichael James, Oregon
Prior to Mariota, James was the face of the Oregon football run in the 2010s, and for good reason. He was the best home run hitter back in Conference. His yards per-carry and touchdown numbers are ridiculous.
WR — Marqise Lee, USC
Had one of the best seasons ever by a Pac-12 receiver in 2012, and was deadly earlier in his career when paired with…
WR — Robert Woods, USC
Woods was lights-out in 2011 at a level close to where Lee was in 2012. His overall career numbers in three years are also scary-good too.
TE — Zach Ertz, Stanford
Ertz in 2012 had one of the best seasons ever by a Pac-12 tight end, and he was especially big in the right moments.
OL — David DeCastro, Stanford
My favorite of all the standout Cardinal offensive linemen of this decade, and probably my favorite of the Conference in the decade overall.
OL — Hroniss Grasu, Oregon
Probably the best overall career of any Pac-12 OL in this decade, racking up honors and wins as a four-year starter for Oregon’s best teams.
OL — Penei Sewell, Oregon
Sewell put together probably the best single season any Pac-12 OL ever in 2019, taking home the Outland Trophy as a sophomore, as well as countless other honors.
OL — Matt Kalil, USC
His junior season in 2011 was lights-out and he was one of the most-perfect linemen to ever play in the Pac-12, hence why he was taken fourth overall in the 2012 Draft.
OL — Jonathan Martin, Stanford
There’s a long line of highly-decorated Stanford OL in this decade after DeCastro who are pretty similar to me and I think Martin was the best of them on Stanford’s best teams.
First-Team Defense
DL — Will Sutton, Arizona State
One of only two players to ever win Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year twice. An underrated terror on defense.
DL — DeForest Buckner, Oregon
Buckner seemed to shut down entire opposing offenses in 2015, one of the best years ever put together by a Pac-12 defender.
DL — Leonard Williams, USC
Should have won a Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year at some point but either way was just a beast in his three years at USC.
DL — Vita Vea, Washington
Vea looked like Washington great Steve Emtman in 2017, taking home Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year honors and was a key cog in their 2016 Playoff run.
LB — Scooby Wright III, Arizona
Wright’s 2014 season was probably the best put together by and Pac-12 defender this decade and it’s why he took home Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and the Bednarik, Lombardi and Nagurski Awards.
LB — Trent Murphy, Stanford
Murphy was so great and such a catalyst for Stanford winning the Pac-12 in 2012 I named him my Pac-12 Player of the Year at any position.
LB — Anthony Barr, UCLA
Truly one of the most devastating defenders to ever play in the Pac-12, his ability to make plays in the backfield was historically great, totalling up more than 23 sacks and 40 TFLs in 2012 and 2013.
DB — Budda Baker, Washington
Baker was absolutely relentless in his three years at Washington and the best player on their incredible defense in 2016 that pushed them to a Playoff berth.
DB — Adoree’ Jackson, USC
The crazy speedster shutdown corner was the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2016, fueled by five interceptions.
DB — Taylor Rapp, Washington
Rapp started for three years at Washington and held down the back of their defense on the way to three-straight NY6 bowl games fueled by a great defense each year.
DB — Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Oregon
A lot like Grasu, IEO was a standout for Oregon for years in their glory days run and racked up All-Pac-12 and All-American honors while helping them to CFP final run in 2014.
First-Team Selections by Program
6—Oregon
5—Stanford
5—USC
3—Washington
1—Arizona
1—Arizona State
1—UCLA
Second-Team Offense
QB — Andrew Luck, Stanford
Oregon was the only thing holding Luck back from a near perfect career and a Heisman.
RB — Bryce Love, Stanford
Love’s 2017 season might have been the most purely unstoppable I’ve ever seen a Pac-12 player have and he was banged up for most of it.
RB — Myles Gaskin, Washington
Another career achievement award guy, Gaskin was the heart and soul of most of Chris Petersen’s Washington teams and is near the top of Pac-12 career rushing marks.
WR — John Ross, Washington
Ross was video game good in 2016 and took home AP Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year.
WR — Brandin Cooks, Oregon State
Just go look at Cooks’ stats in 2013. There you go.
TE — Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Washington
He just filled up the stat sheet at an all-time great level for a college tight end all three years he was at Washington.
OL — Tyron Smith, USC
Only getting one year in the decade holds Smith back on this list, otherwise a Morris Trophy winner and All-American who went on to become an NFL great.
OL — Joshua Garnett, Stanford
Another player anchored by one amazing year. For Garnett it’s 2015 as a senior when he was a Morris and Outland Trophy winner and helped lead Stanford to a Rose Bowl win.
OL — David Yankey, Stanford
Another one of those Stanford OL stalwarts who racked up honors through the decade and led Pac-12 champion Cardinal teams.
OL — Xavier Su’a-Filo, UCLA
Two-time All-Pac-12 selection and Morris Trophy winner had a long, outstanding career at UCLA.
OL — Kaleb McGary, Washington
Another Morris Trophy winner and a four-year starter for some great Washington teams before being a first-round pick.
Second-Team Defense
DL — Star Lotulelei, Utah
The start of Utah’s great recent defenses might begin with 2011 Morris Trophy winner and the powerful road black that was Lotulelei.
DL — Stephen Paea, Oregon State
We can only count 2010 for Paea and he made a huge impact in that one season, winning a Morris Trophy and Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year.
DL — Nate Orchard, Utah
He had a huge senior season in 2014 with 18.5 sacks (21 TFLs) and won the Hendricks Award as the nation’s best defensive end.
DL — Greg Gaines, Washington
2018 Morris Trophy winner and a guy who held UW’s defense down for four years up front as one of the best run defenders in the conference.
LB — Mychal Kendricks, Cal
The 2011 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year was a beyond reliable playmaker on the Cal defense in 2010 and 2011.
LB — Shayne Skov, Stanford
He made play after play for the Cardinal during his career and on two of their best teams who won back-to-back Pac-12 titles.
LB — Evan Weaver, Cal
The 2019 Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year had more than 200 tackles in his career and was a monster his junior and senior seasons, helping lift the Cal program back up under Justin Wilcox.
DB — Sidney Jones, Washington
Nine career interceptions and 30 PDs, he was a two-time All-Pac-12 selection and a cornerstone of their 2016 Pac-12 Championship.
DB — Jordan Poyer, Oregon State
Led the Pac-12 in interceptions two years in-a-row and was a super physical defender who achieved All-American honors.
DB — Ed Reynolds, Stanford
Probably the best of a long run of great Stanford safeties and an interception machine.
DB — TJ McDonald, USC
Career achievement type guy who made All-Pac-12 teams three times and was an All-American in 2011.
Second-Team Selections by Program
6—Stanford
6—Washington
3—Oregon State
2—Cal
2—USC
2—Utah
1—UCLA
Third-Team Offense
QB — Sam Darnold, USC
RB — Ka’Deem Carey, Arizona
RB — Royce Freeman, Oregon
WR — JuJu Smith-Schuster, USC
WR — Gabe Marks, Washington State
TE — Coby Fleener, Stanford
OL — Kyle Murphy, Stanford
OL — Andrus Peat, Stanford
OL — Mitchell Schwartz, Cal
OL — Jake Fisher, Oregon
OL — Tyler Johnstone, Oregon
Third-Team Defense
DL — Solomon Thomas, Stanford
DL — Hercules Mata’afa, Washington State
DL — Scott Crichton, Oregon State
DL — Dion Jordan, Oregon
LB — Chase Thomas, Stanford
LB — Hau’oli Kikaha, Washington
LB — Shaq Thompson, Washington
DB — Jordan Richards, Stanford
DB — Deone Bucannon, Washington State
DB — Nickell Robey, USC
DB — Delano Howell, Stanford
Third-Team Selections by Program
7—Stanford
4—Oregon
3—USC
3—Washington State
2—Washington
1—Arizona
1—Cal
1—Oregon State
Honorable Mention Offense
QB — Jared Goff, Cal
RB — Stepfan Taylor, Stanford
RB — Johnathan Franklin, UCLA
WR — Markus Wheaton, Oregon State
WR — JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford
TE — David Paulson, Oregon
OL — Tyrell Crosby, Oregon
OL — Khaled Holmes, USC
OL — Nick Harris, Washington
OL — Andre Dillard, Washington State
OL — Trey Adams, Washington
Honorable Mention Defense
DL — Jurell Casey, USC
DL — Cameron Jordan Cal
DL — Harrison Phillips, Stanford
DL — Bradlee Anae, Utah
LB — Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
LB — Myles Jack, UCLA
LB/S — Su’a Cravens, USC
DB — Rahim Moore, UCLA
DB — Desmond Trufant, Washington
DB — Jaylon Johnson, Utah
DB — Byron Murphy, Washington
Honorable Mention Selections by Program
5—Washington
3—Stanford
3—UCLA
3—USC
2—Cal
2—Oregon
2—Utah
1—Oregon State
1—Washington State
Breakdown of Selections by Team and by Program
| Program | First Team | Second Team | Third Team | Hon Mention | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 6 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 12 |
| Stanford | 5 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 21 |
| USC | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 13 |
| Washington | 3 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 16 |
| UCLA | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Arizona | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Arizona State | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Oregon State | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
| Cal | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
| Washington State | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| Utah | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
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