07/27/21 | Football
LOS ANGELES — Ten members of the Oregon football team have received preseason all-Pac-12 honors in a vote of the conference's media, the league office announced on Tuesday morning.
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Defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux was the lone unanimous first-team all-conference selection, and he was joined on the first team by center Alex Forsyth and cornerback Mykael Wright.
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Running back CJ Verdell, wide receiver Johnny Johnson III, linebacker Noah Sewell and safety Verone McKinley III earned second-team all-Pac-12 honors, and running back Travis Dye, wide receiver Mycah Pittman and offensive lineman T.J. Bass received honorable mention recognition. Wright was also an honorable mention selection as a return specialist in addition to landing on the defensive first team.
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The two-time defending Pac-12 champion Ducks were also voted as the preseason favorite to win the league. Oregon received 27 of 40 votes to win the Pac-12 Championship Game for a third straight year, as well as 38 of 40 votes to claim the Pac-12 North.
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2021 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – First Team Defense
» Lone unanimous first-team all-Pac-12 selection
» First Oregon defensive lineman to earn All-America honors since DeForest Buckner in 2015.
» First player to lead Oregon in sacks and TFLs in back-to-back seasons since Kenny Rowe (2009-10).
» 12.0 career sacks and 23.5 career tackles for loss.
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C Alex Forsyth – First Team Offense
» Pac-12 all-conference second team in 2020
» Led the team with 440 total offensive snaps in 2020, allowing just one sack and four total pressures.
» Finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus' second-highest graded center in the Pac-12 and 17th in the nation at 74.2
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CB Mykael Wright – First Team Defense | Honorable Mention Return Specialist
» Pac-12 all-conference first team in 2020.
» Led the Pac-12 in 2020 with nine pass breakups.
» Allowed a completion percentage of 52.9 (18-of-34) when targeted, according to PFF.
» 650 career kick return yards and two touchdowns on 23 runbacks.
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RB CJ Verdell – Second Team Offense
» Enters 2021 with 2,523 career rushing yards, good for No. 9 on the Oregon all-time list.
» 10 career 100-yard rushing performances, tied for eighth-most in program history.
» 21 career rushing touchdowns, just two away from cracking the top 10 in Oregon history.
» One of just five players in Oregon history to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (2018-19).
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WR Johnny Johnson III – Second Team Offense
» Enters the 2021 season with career totals of 114 receptions for 1,617 yards and 14 TDs.
» One of two Pac-12 players going into 2021 with 100 receptions, 1,500 receiving yards and 10 TDs.
» Needs 20 receptions, 431 yards and four TDs to enter the top 10 in program history in all three categories.
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LB Noah Sewell – Second Team Defense
» Pac-12 freshman defensive player of the year in 2020.
» One of two FBS true freshmen and the only in Power 5 to lead his team in his team in tackles (45).
» First Oregon true freshman to lead the team in tackles since Troy Dye in 2016
» Led Pac-12 freshmen in tackles, FTLs (6.5) and sacks (2.0).
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S Verone McKinley III – Second Team Defense
» Third on the team in 2020 with 41 total tackles, including 21 solo stops.
» One of just seven FBS players in 2020 with an interception, fumble recovery and at least seven tackles in a game (vs. UCLA).
» Enters 2021 with 90 career tackles (53 solo) and five interceptions.
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RB Travis Dye – Honorable Mention
» Enters 2021 with 1,840 career rushing yards and 467 receiving yards with 11 total touchdowns.
» Led UO with 443 rushing yards in 2020 and was the only player in the Pac-12 to record at least 400 yards rushing and 200 yards receiving (239).
» First Oregon running back since 2012 with four receiving TDs in a season (2020) and two in a game (at WSU).
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WR Mycah Pittman – Honorable Mention
» 26 career receptions for 350 yards and two touchdowns.
» Caught eight passes for 123 yards in five games in 2020.
» Seven of eight catches in 2020 resulted in a first down.
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OL T.J. Bass – Honorable Mention
» Pac-12 all-conference honorable mention in 2020.
» Pac-12 offensive lineman of the week following Oregon's win at Washington State.
» Did not allow a sack and surrendered just six pressures on 202 pass-blocking snaps.
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Defensive end Kayvon Thibodeaux was the lone unanimous first-team all-conference selection, and he was joined on the first team by center Alex Forsyth and cornerback Mykael Wright.
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Running back CJ Verdell, wide receiver Johnny Johnson III, linebacker Noah Sewell and safety Verone McKinley III earned second-team all-Pac-12 honors, and running back Travis Dye, wide receiver Mycah Pittman and offensive lineman T.J. Bass received honorable mention recognition. Wright was also an honorable mention selection as a return specialist in addition to landing on the defensive first team.
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The two-time defending Pac-12 champion Ducks were also voted as the preseason favorite to win the league. Oregon received 27 of 40 votes to win the Pac-12 Championship Game for a third straight year, as well as 38 of 40 votes to claim the Pac-12 North.
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2021 PRESEASON ALL-PAC-12
DE Kayvon Thibodeaux – First Team Defense
» Lone unanimous first-team all-Pac-12 selection
» First Oregon defensive lineman to earn All-America honors since DeForest Buckner in 2015.
» First player to lead Oregon in sacks and TFLs in back-to-back seasons since Kenny Rowe (2009-10).
» 12.0 career sacks and 23.5 career tackles for loss.
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C Alex Forsyth – First Team Offense
» Pac-12 all-conference second team in 2020
» Led the team with 440 total offensive snaps in 2020, allowing just one sack and four total pressures.
» Finished 2020 as Pro Football Focus' second-highest graded center in the Pac-12 and 17th in the nation at 74.2
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CB Mykael Wright – First Team Defense | Honorable Mention Return Specialist
» Pac-12 all-conference first team in 2020.
» Led the Pac-12 in 2020 with nine pass breakups.
» Allowed a completion percentage of 52.9 (18-of-34) when targeted, according to PFF.
» 650 career kick return yards and two touchdowns on 23 runbacks.
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RB CJ Verdell – Second Team Offense
» Enters 2021 with 2,523 career rushing yards, good for No. 9 on the Oregon all-time list.
» 10 career 100-yard rushing performances, tied for eighth-most in program history.
» 21 career rushing touchdowns, just two away from cracking the top 10 in Oregon history.
» One of just five players in Oregon history to rush for 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons (2018-19).
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WR Johnny Johnson III – Second Team Offense
» Enters the 2021 season with career totals of 114 receptions for 1,617 yards and 14 TDs.
» One of two Pac-12 players going into 2021 with 100 receptions, 1,500 receiving yards and 10 TDs.
» Needs 20 receptions, 431 yards and four TDs to enter the top 10 in program history in all three categories.
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LB Noah Sewell – Second Team Defense
» Pac-12 freshman defensive player of the year in 2020.
» One of two FBS true freshmen and the only in Power 5 to lead his team in his team in tackles (45).
» First Oregon true freshman to lead the team in tackles since Troy Dye in 2016
» Led Pac-12 freshmen in tackles, FTLs (6.5) and sacks (2.0).
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S Verone McKinley III – Second Team Defense
» Third on the team in 2020 with 41 total tackles, including 21 solo stops.
» One of just seven FBS players in 2020 with an interception, fumble recovery and at least seven tackles in a game (vs. UCLA).
» Enters 2021 with 90 career tackles (53 solo) and five interceptions.
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RB Travis Dye – Honorable Mention
» Enters 2021 with 1,840 career rushing yards and 467 receiving yards with 11 total touchdowns.
» Led UO with 443 rushing yards in 2020 and was the only player in the Pac-12 to record at least 400 yards rushing and 200 yards receiving (239).
» First Oregon running back since 2012 with four receiving TDs in a season (2020) and two in a game (at WSU).
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WR Mycah Pittman – Honorable Mention
» 26 career receptions for 350 yards and two touchdowns.
» Caught eight passes for 123 yards in five games in 2020.
» Seven of eight catches in 2020 resulted in a first down.
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OL T.J. Bass – Honorable Mention
» Pac-12 all-conference honorable mention in 2020.
» Pac-12 offensive lineman of the week following Oregon's win at Washington State.
» Did not allow a sack and surrendered just six pressures on 202 pass-blocking snaps.
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Wednesday, October 28
Wednesday, October 28
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