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Best Player in the History of the Pac-12 at Each School
Founded in 1959, the Pac-12 is one of the newest Power Five Conferences. However, with all the current realignment going on in the NCAA, the future of the conference is up in the air.
Regardless of where the Pac-12 is going or how long its history is, the conference still has had a number of exciting players make their marks on the record books, and following is a list of the best players that went through each program in the Pac-12 Conference.
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Arizona Wildcats: Linebacker Ricky Hunley
A two-time All-American, and the first Arizona football consensus All-American, Hunley’s 566 career tackles still remain at the top of the school record books. Hunley won Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year his senior year after recording 176 total tackles, while he also helped the Wildcats upset four top-10 teams during his tenure.
Career Tackles
578—Michael Jackson, UW, 1975-78
575—David Rill, UW, 1984-87
571—Gordy Ceresino, Stan, 1975-78
566—Ricky Hunley, UA, 1980-83
559—Byron Evans, UA, 1983-86
525—David Ortega, Cal, 1986-89
524—Lee Blakeney, WSU, 1980-81, 83-84
502—Dan Lloyd, UW, 1972-75
— SuperWest Sports (@SuperWestSports) July 27, 2019
Arizona State Sun Devils: Linebacker Tillman
Despite being smaller for the position, Tillman helped lead the Sun Devils to an undefeated regular season his junior year as well as a Rose Bowl appearance, leading the team with 93 total tackles while adding 15 tackles for loss, four sacks, and three interceptions. Tillman was named Arizona State’s MVP that season, also earning Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. He became iconic through his post-college and NFL career for serving in the military.
California Golden Bears: Quarterback Rodgers
Many great players have played on Cal’s field, but Rodgers tops the list, despite only playing two years with the Bears. Rodgers led the Bears to a 10-1 regular season record and top-five ranking that nearly earned them a bid to the Rose Bowl after he threw for 2,566 yards and 24 touchdowns. Rodgers set a school record for most consecutive completed passes with 26.
Colorado Buffaloes: Running back White
The runner-up in Heisman voting in 1937, White led Colorado to an 8-0 record that year while leading the nation in rushing (1,121 yards), all-purpose yards (1,970 yards), total offense (1,596 yards), and scoring (122 points). The Buffs’ first All-American, White was also the first player to have his number retired by Colorado.
In a ten year period, Byron White: graduated valedictorian from Colorado, was runner up for the Heisman, got a rhodes scholarship, led the NFL in rushing yards, served on the Pacific front, and graduated from Yale law school.
Did I mention he would later be on the Supreme Court? pic.twitter.com/3LoUsr1PmN— Nicholas says, NGDP Targeting Now! 🏳️🌈🌐🇺🇦 (@captgouda24) July 11, 2023
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Oregon Ducks: Quarterback Mariota
Oregon’s leader in all-time passing yards and passing touchdowns, Mariota is the only Duck to have won the Heisman. He did so his junior season, when he led Oregon to an 11-1 regular season and national championship appearance, accounting for 5,224 total yards and 57 total touchdowns.
Oregon State Beavers: Running Back Jackson
Jackson still holds Oregon State’s single-season rushing record, leading the then-Pac-10 his sophomore year with 1,690 rushing yards, tagging on 15 touchdowns as well. Jackson followed that with a 1,545-yard season his junior year for a number that still ranks third in school history. A two-time All-American, Jackson totaled 19 100-yard games in his career, while his 39 rushing touchdowns is third.
Stanford Cardinal: Quarterback Elway
A two-time Pac-10 Player of the Year and unanimous All-American, Elway finished his four-year career at Stanford with 9,349 passing yards and 77 touchdowns, both school records at the time, and still in the top five today. Elway finished as the Heisman runner-up his senior season, throwing for 3,242 yards and 24 touchdowns, while his jersey was also retired by the school.
Fair warning to y’all. It’s August. Football is in the air. I’m about to go headlong into an NFL binge. First up, John Elway! pic.twitter.com/wL2NORYNJT
— R.P. Vintage Card Art (@rpbailey78) August 4, 2023
UCLA Bruins: Quarterback Beban
Known as “The Great One,” Beban led UCLA to a 24-5-2 record as a three-year starter, including a Rose Bowl win his sophomore year over national champion Michigan State. The only Bruin to win the Heisman, Beban did so his senior season when he threw for 1,359 yards and eight touchdowns while rushing for 227 yards and 11 scores.
USC Trojans: Running back O.J. Simpson
Simpson remains one of the greats to come out of USC. Simpson helped lead the Trojans to the national championship his junior season, rushing for 1,543 yards and 13 touchdowns, finishing second in Heisman Trophy voting. However, Simpson won the Heisman the next season, rushing for 1,880 yards and 23 touchdowns. He became a pariah after his NFL and broadcasting career after being charged with a double murder and subsequent sensational trial.
Utah Utes: Defensive back Weddle
Though Weddle made his mark as a defensive player, he was a running back at times, too. A consensus All-American and two-time Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year, Weddle helped the Utes to an undefeated season his sophomore year and finished his career with 277 tackles, 10 sacks, 22.5 tackles for loss, 18 interceptions, and five defensive touchdowns.
The grind is real in the north county today I chopped it up with former Chargers safety and Super Bowl Champion with the L.A. Rams Eric Weddle. All set for his first season as the Rancho Bernardo Broncos head coach. Here’s a little excerpt from our convo this afternoon. pic.twitter.com/8yNbUv3Xlf
— Nick James (@njamesdaygo619) August 3, 2023
Washington Huskies: Defensive tackle Emtman
Emtman helped lead the Huskies back to the top of the Pac-10, leading them to a 10-2 record and a Rose Bowl win in his first season as a starter. In his junior year, Emtman was an integral part of the Huskies going undefeated and winning the national championship. He won the Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year for the second time as well as the Outland Trophy, finishing the season with 62 tackles and 20.5 tackles for loss.
Washington State Cougars: Running back Mayes
A two-time All-American, Mayes is Washington State’s all-time rushing leader, setting the record with 3,519 total yards. He also set the single-season rushing record with 1,632 total yards while his 357 rushing yards in a game was an NCAA record for over 20 years. There’s lots of speculation about what the Pac-12 could look like in just another year, but the 2023 college football season is nearly here with the current players ready to make their mark as well. Don’t forget to head to the sportsbook to make all your college football predictions about how the season will play out before it begins.
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