The Associated Press' All-Pac-12 team was announced on Thursday and Arizona's J.J. Taylor and Colin Schooler made the cut. The voting panel featured sportswriters and broadcasters that cover the conference.
Schooler, the UA's standout sophomore linebacker, was voted to the second-team defense days after he received honorable mention for the All-Pac-12 team. Coming off a freshman All-American season, Schooler led the Wildcats in tackles with 119 and is fifth in FBS with 21.5 tackles for loss.
Schooler joined Jordan Kunaszyk (Cal) and Nate Landman (Colorado) on the All-Pac-12 second team as Chase Hansen (Utah), Ben Burr-Kirven (Washington) and Evan Weaver (Cal) were named to the first team.
Taylor, Arizona's star running back, was listed as a first-team all-purpose player selection with ASU's Eno Benjamin and UCLA's Joshua Kelley named as first-team running backs. Taylor finished the 2018 campaign with 1,434 yards, which is ranked second in the Pac-12 and sixth in FBS, only trailing Benjamin.
Taylor was selected to the All-Pac-12 first team as a running back, but for the AP poll, he got the nod from his performance on offense and special teams. Against Oregon State on Sept. 22, he rushed for a career-high 284 yards, the fourth-most in UA history.
Taylor also recorded 133 yards as a receiver and 540 as a kick returner, giving him 2,107 for the season. In Arizona's final nonconference game of the season, Taylor had an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
AP All-Pac-12 teams listed below
Conference Honors
Despite not appearing in the Pac-12 Championship, Washington State nearly cleaned house for the AP Pac-12 individual honors. AP named WSU's graduate transfer quarterback Gardner Minshew Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year and Newcomer of the Year.
Minshew led the Cougars to a 10-2 record and led the nation in passing with 4,477 yards and 36 touchdowns. He also quarterbacked a Cougars offense that led the Pac-12 in total offense with 461.8 yards per game.
WSU head coach Mike Leach won AP Pac-12 Coach of the Year. Leach won 10 games this season, a first for him since 2008 when he led Texas Tech to an 11-2 record.
Washington linebacker Ben Burr-Kirven was named AP Defensive Player of the Year.
First-team offense
QB Gardner Minshew, Washington State
RB Eno Benjamin, Arizona State
RB Joshua Kelley, UCLA
OT Andre Dillard, Washington State
G Shane Lemieux, Oregon
C Nick Harris, Washington
G Jordan Agasiva, Utah
OT Calvin Throckmorton, Oregon
TE Caleb Wilson, UCLA
WR N'Keal Harry, Arizona State
WR JJ Arcega-Whiteside, Stanford
All-purpose J.J. Taylor, Arizona
PK Matt Gay, Utah
First-team defense
DE Bradlee Anae, Utah
DT Greg Gaines, Washington
DT Mustafa Johnson, Colorado
DE Justin Hollins, Oregon
LB Ben Burr-Kirven, Washington
LB Chase Hansen, Utah, Utah
LB Evan Weaver, California
CB Byron Murphy, Washington
S Taylor Rapp, Washington
S Ashtyn Davis, California
CB Paulson Adebo, Stanford
P Mitch Wishnowsky, Utah
Second-team offense
QB K.J. Costello, Stanford
RB Myles Gaskin, Washington
RB Zack Moss, Utah
OT Kaleb McGary, Washington
G Chris Brown, USC
C Jake Hanson, Oregon
G Gus Lavaka, Oregon State
OT Patrick Mekari, California
TE Kaden Smith, Stanford
WR Dillon Mitchell, Oregon
WR Laviska Shenault Jr., Colorado
All-purpose Britain Covey, Utah
PK Jet Toner, Stanford
Second-team defense
DE Logan Tago, Washington State
DT Leki Fotu, Utah
DT Jordan Scott, Oregon
DE Christian Rector, USC
LB Jordan Kunaszyk, California
LB Colin Schooler, Arizona
LB Nate Landman, Colorado
CB Thomas Graham Jr., Oregon
CB Camryn Bynum, California
S Jalen Thompson, Washington State
S Ugochukwu Amadi, Oregon
CB Elisha Guidry, UCLA
CB Julian Blackmon, Utah
P Jake Bailey, Stanford
A way-too-early, game-by-game look at Arizona's 2019 football season
Game 1: at Hawaii
Updated
Hawaii long snapper Noah Borden (1) carries the Hawaiian flag and leads the Warriors onto the field during player introductions before the start of a game against Utah State, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2018, in Honolulu.
When: Aug. 24
Where: Aloha Stadium, Honolulu
Series history: Arizona leads the all-time series, 5-0.
The last time: Arizona beat the Rainbow Warriors 27-6 in its 1998 season opener. The Wildcats went on to finish 12-1, the best win total in program history.
Did you know? Kevin Sumlin’s downfield passing attack stems from the offense used by former Hawaii coach June Jones and Rainbow Warriors assistant Mouse Davis.
Game 2: vs. Northern Arizona
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Then-freshman Nathan Tilford broke off a big run vs. NAU in the 2017 opener but didn't see much action at running back for Arizona the rest of the way.
When: Sept. 7
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: Arizona leads the all-time series, 14-1
The last time: Arizona opened the 2017 season with a 62-24 win over the Lumberjacks at Arizona Stadium.
Did you know? NAU’s lone win in the series came Oct. 29, 1932, when NAU was known as Arizona State Teachers College.
Game 3: vs. Texas Tech
UpdatedWhen: Sept. 14
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: Texas Tech leads the all-time series, 26-4-2.
The last time: The Red Raiders beat Arizona 24-14 in 1989.
Did you know? Next season will mark the teams’ first game in 20 years; however, the two schools were regular opponents for decades before Arizona joined the Pac-12. Consider: The schools played in 1971, ’72, ’73, ’74, ’75, ’76, ’77, ’78 and ’79 — with the Red Raiders going 7-1-1.
Game 4: vs. UCLA
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UCLA quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson, left, escapes a tackle by Arizona linebacker Tony Fields II as he tries to pass during the first half of an NCAA college football game, Saturday, Oct. 20, 2018, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)
When: Sept. 28
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: UCLA leads the all-time series, 25-16-2.
The last time: UCLA beat Arizona 31-30 at the Rose Bowl in October.
Did you know? UCLA’s 2018 win over the Wildcats was the first game in the series decided by a touchdown or less since 2013, when the Bruins beat the Wildcats 31-26 in Tucson.
Game 5: at Colorado
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Arizona defensive end Jalen Harris (49), left, flies in to separate Colorado wide receiver Jaylon Jackson (10) from the ball, keeping him from a first down catch and holding the Buffaloes out of scoring range late in the fourth quarter of their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium, Friday, November 2, 2018, Tucson, Ariz.
When: Oct. 5
Where: Folsom Field; Boulder, Colorado
Series history: Colorado leads the all-time series, 14-7.
The last time: Arizona beat the Buffaloes 42-34 when the teams met in November.
Did you know? The series resumed when CU joined the Pac-12 in 2011; before that, the teams had played just once twice since 1960. Arizona is 6-2 against Colorado since 2011.
Game 6: vs. Washington
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Washington tight end Darrell Daniels (15) high-fives with the Washington fan section after the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. University of Washington Huskies college football game at Arizona Stadium on Sept. 24, 2016, in Tucson, Ariz. Washington won 35-28 in overtime. Mike Christy / Arizona Daily Star
When: Oct. 12 (Family Weekend)
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: Washington leads the all-time series, 20-11-1.
The last time: The Huskies beat the UA 35-28 in 2016. The teams did not play in 2017 and 2018 because of a Pac-12 scheduling quirk.
Did you know? The lone tie in the series came in 1987, a season in which the UA finished 4-4-3.
Game 7: at USC
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Unlike several Arizona CBs, Lorenzo Burns, right, was able to stay on the field for most of 2018.
When: Oct. 19
Where: Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum
Series history: USC leads the all-time series, 34-8.
The last time: The Trojans beat the Wildcats 24-20 in September.
Did you know? The teams first played in 1916 in Phoenix, with the Trojans winning 20-7. USC received the moniker “Trojans” just four years earlier; before that, the team was known as the Methodists or Wesleyans. Arizona switched its nickname from “Varsity” to “Wildcats” in 1914.
Game 8: at Stanford
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Stanford running back Christian McCaffrey (5) forces side judge Bernie Hulscher back off the line and over a TV cameraman on his run to inside the Wildcat five in the third quarter of their Pac-12 game at Arizona Stadium, Saturday, Oct. 29, 2016, Tucson, Ariz. Kelly Presnell / Arizona Daily Star
When: Oct. 26
Where: Stanford Stadium; Stanford, California
Series history: Stanford leads the all-time series, 16-14.
The last time: Stanford beat the Wildcats 34-10 in 2016. The teams did not play in 2017 and 2018 because of a Pac-12’s scheduling quirk.
Did you know? The teams moved their 1986 Pac-10 Conference game to Tokyo, a game the Cardinal won 29-24.
Game 9: vs. Oregon State
UpdatedWhen: Nov. 2 (Homecoming)
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: Arizona leads the all-time series, 24-15-1.
The last time: Arizona beat OSU in September, 35-14.
Did you know? OSU coach Jonathan Smith was the Beavers’ starting quarterback from 1998-2001, where he went 2-2 against the UA.
Game 10: at Oregon
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Oregon Ducks quarterback Justin Herbert (10) throws as the pocket collapses during the first quarter of the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. No. 19 University of Oregon Ducks college football game at Arizona Stadium, Oct. 27, 2018, in Tucson, Ariz.
When: Nov.16
Where: Autzen Stadium; Eugene, Oregon
Series history: Oregon leads the all-time series, 26-17.
The last time: UA beat Oregon 44-15 in October.
Did you know? The teams played their 1961 game, a 15-6 UA win, in Portland. It marks one of just two times the series has been played outside of Eugene or Tucson. The other? The 2014 Pac-12 Championship Game, played in Santa Clara, California.
Game 11: vs. Utah
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Arizona linebacker Tony Fields II, rear, tackles Utah running back TJ Green (4) during the first half of an NCAA college football game Friday, Oct. 12, 2018, in Salt Lake City.
When: Nov. 23
Where: Arizona Stadium
Series history: Utah leads the all-time series, 23-19-2.
The last time: Utah beat the UA 42-10 in October.
Did you know? Arizona and Utah played each other in the 1994 Freedom Bowl, held at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California. The Utes’ quarterback in that game: Mike McCoy, who was (for a brief time) offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals in 2018.
Game 12: at Arizona State
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Arizona State Sun Devils players celebrate with the Territorial Cup after the University of Arizona Wildcats vs. Arizona State University Sun Devils in the Territorial Cup college football game on Nov. 25, 2017.
When: Nov. 29 (Friday)
Where: Sun Devil Stadium; Tempe
Series history: Arizona leads the all-time series, 49-42-1, though a handful of the games remain in dispute.
The last time: Arizona State rallied to beat the Wildcats 41-40 in November.
Did you know? The first-ever UA-ASU game, 1899, was played at Tucson’s Carrillo Gardens, now the site of Carrillo K-5 Magnet School, 440 S. Main Ave. The gardens initially included boat rides, a shooting gallery, and – according to the Tucson Weekly — a race track where ponies were ridden by monkeys. Arizona lost the 1899 game, 11-2.
