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Best of the bunch, other awardsArizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 12.03.2008
It took Notre Dame until the end of the third quarter to scratch out a first down Saturday against USC's defense. The Trojans boast the Pac-10's best defense in a generation — but don't lend themselves to postseason awards.
With no set Pac-10 offensive star, postseason voters might feel as stifled as a quarterback staring down a USC blitz.
That said, here are our picks for the Pac-10's best of the season:
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER
Jacquizz Rodgers Oregon State RB
• Stats: 113.9 rushing yards per game, 11 TDs in 11 games
• Why: The most unlikely star of the season, the 5-foot-6-inch Rodgers will likely finish the season as the Pac-10's leading rusher. No Pac-10 freshman has ever done that. Rodgers anchored the most surprisingly good team in the West. When Rodgers rushed at least 15 times, the Beavers lost only two games — at Penn State and Utah, two teams that finished in the top eight of the BCS standings.
• Honorable mention: USC LB Rey Maualuga, Cal RB Jahvid Best, Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli
Offensive Player of the Year
Jahvid Best Cal RB
• Stats: 108.3 rushing yards and 24.6 receiving yards per game, nine rushing TDs in 10 games
• Why: What didn't Best do this season? He leads the Pac-10 and is sixth in the country, with 170.7 all-purpose yards, gaining a conference-best 29.1 on kick returns. Six times, Best ran for more than 100 yards. Twice, he gained at least 200 yards. The sophomore needs for 171 on the ground Saturday against Washington to become the Pac-10's leading rusher.
• Honorable mention: Oregon QB Jeremiah Masoli, Stanford RB Toby Gerhart, USC QB Mark Sanchez
Defensive Player of the Year
Rey Maualuga USC LB
• Stats: Leads USC with 6.8 tackles per game
• Why: If the award could be split three ways, we'd give it to Maualuga and teammates Taylor Mays and Brian Cushing to tear apart. Maualuga is one of three finalists for the Bednarik Award, given to the nation's top defensive player. Through 11 games this season, the Trojans have allowed 86 points. Their 73 points allowed in conference play is the fewest by any Pac-10 team since USC gave up 67 in 1989 — over only eight games. The Trojans lead the conference in every significant defensive category.
• Honorable mention: Mays, Cushing. Oregon DE Nick Reed
Coach of the Year
Mike Riley Oregon State
• Stats: 8-4 (7-2)
• Why: The Beavers began the year without any starter from its front seven last season. Their best running back was a freshman, and their best wideout, Sammie Stroughter, barely played last season. After losing three of his first five games, Riley rallied the Beavers for a six-game winning streak before losing the Civil War — and likely a Rose Bowl berth. Every year, Riley does more with less, talent-wise, than any coach in the conference. This was his best work.
• Honorable mention: Oregon's Mike Bellotti, USC's Pete Carroll, Cal's Jeff Tedford
OTHER SUPERLATIVES
• Most Important Play: Washington's Jake Locker breaking his thumb throwing a block against Stanford on Sept. 27
• Biggest Mistake: Locker being whistled for a celebration penalty Sept. 6 against BYU, costing the Huskies a chance at overtime. They haven't won a game since.
• Biggest Game: The Ducks winning the most-hyped Civil War ever, by 27, keeping the OSU from the Rose Bowl.
• Worst Big Game: Washington State's 16-13 double-OT win over equally hapless Washington.
• Worst Day: Sept. 13, when Pac-10 teams lost four games to Mountain West Conference teams.
• Most Overvalued Win: UCLA's 27-24 OT win over then-No. 18 Tennessee on Sept. 1.
• Most Underrated Loss: Oregon State's 31-28 loss to eventual BCS team Utah.
• Biggest Upset: ASU's 23-20 loss to UNLV.
• Best Looking Game: Saturday, when both USC and host UCLA will wear home uniforms.
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