Wazzu's Ron Stone Jr., Dean Janikowski earn Pac-12 preseason honors

Tuesday afternoon the Pac-12 released the results of its media voting for the preseason all-conference teams ahead of this week’s media day in Los Angeles. Many of the top newcomers to the league are represented on the list of players while 11 of the 12 teams in the conference each have multiple players on the first and second teams.

The Cougars are one of only a handful of teams across the conference to have multiple players earn first-team selections this year. Edge rusher Ron Stone Jr. and kicker Dean Janikowski both have earned spots on the first team at their respective positions.

Both players landing on the first team should not come as much of a surprise after Stone and Janikowski both put together impressive seasons in 2021. It landed each player on the first team at the end of the year, and there will be plenty of expectations for both players once again this fall.

The honors didn't stop at just Stone and Janikowski for Wazzu as six different players earned honorable mention nods at several positions: WR De’Zhaun Stribling, DL Brennan Jackson, LB Daiyan Henley, DB Armani Marsh, DB Derrick Langford, P Nick Haberer.

USC and defending Pac-12 champion Utah both finished atop the list with six first-team selections. The Trojans had 10 players selected to either the first or second team while Utah had nine. Oregon finished third with eight while Oregon State had seven players selected to the first or second team.

Here is full list of first and second team selections:

FIRST TEAM

Offense

QB Caleb Williams (USC)

RB Zach Charbonnet (UCLA)

RB Tavion Thomas (Utah)

WR Jordan Addison (USC)

WR Mario Williams (USC)

TE Brant Kuithe (Utah)

OL Jaxson Kirkland (Washington)

OL Braeden Daniels (Utah)

OL Alex Forsyth (Oregon)

OL T.J. Bass (Oregon)

OL Andrew Vorhees (USC)

Defense

DL Tuli Tiupulotu (USC)

DL Brandon Dorlus (Oregon)

DL Ron Stone Jr. (Washington State)

DL Van Fillinger (Utah)

LB Noah Sewell (Oregon)

LB Omar Speights (Oregon State)

LB Jackson Sirmon (Cal)

DB Clark Phillips III (Utah)

DB Kyu Blu Kelly (Stanford)

DB Cole Bishop (Utah)

DB Daniel Scott (Cal)

Specialists

PK Dean Janikowski (Washington State)

P Kyle Ostendorp (Arizona)

AP/ST Travis Dye (USC)

RS D.J. Taylor (Arizona State)

SECOND TEAM

Offense

QB Cameron Rising (Utah)

RB Travis Day (USC)

RB Byron Cardwell (Oregon)

WR Jacob Cowing (Arizona)

WR Jake Bobo (UCLA)

TE Benjamin Yurosek (Stanford)

OL Joshua Gray (Oregon State)

OL Brett Neilon (USC)

OL Sataoa Laumea (Utah)

OL Brandon Kipper (Oregon State)

OL LaDarius Henderson (Arizona State)

Defense

DL Zion Tupuola-Fetui (Washington)

DL Junior Tafuna (Utah)

DL Kyon Barrs (Arizona)

DL Brett Johnson (Cal)

LB Merlin Robertson (Arizona State)

LB Justin Flowe (Oregon)

LB Darius Muasau (UCLA)

DB Christian Gonzalez (Oregon)

DB Jaydon Grant (Oregon State)

DB Rejzhon Wright (Oregon State)

DB Mekhi Blackmon (USC)

Specialists

PK Camden Lewis (Oregon)

P Luke Loecher (Oregon State)

AP Jack Colletto (Oregon State)

RS Gary Bryant, Jr. (USC)

The preseason media poll will be released later this week as all 12 teams gather at The Novo theater at LA Live for Pac-12 Media Day. The event is set to begin at 8 a.m. and finish by 4 p.m. PT. All head coaches will have their press conferences broadcast by Pac-12 Networks.