13 Ducks Receive All-Conference Accolades

Pac-10 champion USC boasted the largest number of first-team all-conference recipients (8), followed by runner-up California (7).

Senior center Enoka Lucas heads a list of 13 Duck football players who received Pacific-10 Conference accolades. Photo: goducks.com

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. - University of Oregon center Enoka Lucas heads a list of 13 Duck football players who received Pacific-10 Conference accolades while redshirt freshman defensive back Jairus Byrd was one of the league's co-Freshman of the Year honorees as the conference released it's all-league team Monday as voted on by the Pac-10 coaches.

Lucas, a senior from Honolulu, Hawaii, looms as Oregon's lone first-team selection as the three-year starter has opened 25 consecutive games.

He was a second-team all-conference selection a year ago and one of two seniors along an offensive line that helped the Ducks lead the league in rushing (t11th nationally, 189.2 avg.) and total offense (8th nationally, 436.4 avg.), in addition to finishing second in the Pac-10 in fewest quarterback sacks allowed (12).

Oregon's second-team all-conference picks included senior free safety J.D. Nelson (Mountain View, Calif.), sophomore running back Jonathan Stewart (Lacey, Wash.) and sophomore offensive tackle Max Unger (Honaunau, Hawaii).

Named honorable mention all-conference were seniors Jordan Kent (Eugene, Ore.), offensive guard Palauni Ma Sun (Laie, Hawaii), linebacker Blair Phillips (Alexandria, La.), tight end Dante Rosario (Dayton, Ore.) and defensive lineman Matt Toeaina (Pago Pago, American Samoa); sophomores Patrick Chung (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.) and wide receiver Jaison Williams (Inglewood, Calif.)'; as well as redshirt freshmen cornerbacks Jairus Byrd (Clayton, Mo.) and Walter Thurmond (West Covina, Calif.).

Byrd also was one of the conference's trio of Freshmen Players of the Year honorees after leading the team with four interceptions and finishing as the Ducks' sixth-leading tackler with 49 stops.

California junior tailback Marshawn Lynch was voted the conference's Offensive Player of the Year while the Bears' senior cornerback Daymieon Hughes received the league's Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year plaudits.

USC head coach Pete Carroll was honored as the Pac-10's Coach of the Year for the third time in his six-year collegiate tenure as well as the second year in a row.

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