Utah Football Earns 12 Spots On All-Pac-12; Barton Named Freshman DPOY
Utes land four on first-team
SAN FRANCISCO – The No. 8 University of Utah Football team landed 12 players on the 2022 Pac-12 All-Conference first, second and honorable mention squads with newcomerLander Barton earning Freshman Defensive Player of the Year.
The Utes received four first-team selections in Dalton Kincaid (TE, Sr.), Braeden Daniels (OL, Jr.) and Sataoa Laumea (OL, So.), and cornerback Clark Phillips III (CB, So.), marking the fifth straight year that Utah has had four or more players get first-team nods, and the seventh time overall since joining the league.
Leading the Utes on the second-team is Junior Tafuna (DT, So.) and linebacker Karene Reid (LB, So.) with Devaughn Vele (WR, So.), Jonah Elliss(DE, So.), R.J. Hubert (S, Sr.), Cole Bishop (S, So.), Cameron Rising (QB, Jr.) and Keaton Bills(OL, So.) all being named to the honorable mention squad.
Barton has played in all 13 games with three starts this season, leading all freshmen on the team with 42 total tackles (5.0 TFL, 3.5 sacks) along with three quarterback hurries, one pass breakup, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. It is the second straight year Utah has won the Freshman Defensive Player of the Year award after Junior Tafuna received the recognition in 2021.
He has had four or more tackles in seven of Utah's 13 games this season, including in just his second game as a Ute where he racked up four stops with his first collegiate sack against Southern Utah. He was also key in Utah's Pac-12 Championship victory over USC, recording a career-high six tackles while also notching a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
Quick Hits On Utah's All-Pac-12 Selections
Braeden Daniels // Offensive Line // Junior /// 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (1st Team), 2021 (2nd Team)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started all 13 games for the Utes at left tackle … part of the offense that ranks 10th nationally and second in the Pac-12 in rushing offense (220.2) … helps lead an offensive line that ranks sixth in the FBS and third in the league in sacks allowed per game (0.69) … named Pac-12 Offensive Lineman of the Week for his performance in Utah's regular season victory over USC.
Dalton Kincaid // Tight End // Senior // 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (1st Team), 2021 (HM)
2022 Quick Hits: Leads the team in receptions (70), receiving yards (890), receiving touchdowns (8) and receiving yards per game (74.2) … tied for second among FBS tight ends and first overall in the Pac-12 in receiving scores (8) … his 890 receiving yards and 74.2 yards per game is the most by any FBS tight end this season … three games in 2022 with over 100 yards receiving including his career-high 234 (16 catches, 1 TD) vs. USC in the regular season … also had 107 yards and two touchdowns vs. Southern Utah and 102 yards (1 TD) in the regular season finale at Colorado.
Sataoa Laumea // Offensive Line // Sophomore // 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (1st Team), 2021 (HM), 2020 (2nd Team)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started all 13 games, including 12 at right tackle and one at right guard … has helped the Utes to the 500-yard mark in total offense in five games in 2022, including in three of the last four … leading an offensive line that has only allowed 9.0 sacks this season, which ranks 10th in the FBS … also helping the Utes to a No. 10 ranking in rushing offense, averaging 220.2 yards per game.
Clark Phillips III // Cornerback // Sophomore // 2022 First-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (1st Team), 2021 (2nd Team)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started in every game he has appeared in this season (12) … currently has 24 total tackles (2.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) with six interceptions (142 return yards) and six pass breakups … tied for the most interceptions among Power Five players (6), also tying for second overall in the country … his 142 return yards also ranks fourth nationally … his two pick-sixes is the second-most by an FBS player in 2022 (most in the Pac-12) … had three interceptions vs. Oregon State (one pick-six), the most in a game by a Power Five player this year … also recorded an 80-yard interception returned for a touchdown at UCLA.
Karene Reid // Linebacker // Sophomore // 2022 Second-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (2nd Team)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started in all 13 games, racking up 68 tackles (7.5 TFL, 4.0 sacks), three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, one interception, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery … six games this season with five or more tackles and seven games with at least half a tackle for loss … season-high 10 tackles (1.5 TFL) at Arizona State … four stops (1.5 TFL, 0.5 sack) and an interception (13 yds) vs. San Diego State … had two pass breakups against Southern Utah … five tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.0 sack) and a forced fumble at Washington State … scoop and score on a fumble return for 11 yards at Oregon.
Junior Tafuna // Defensive Tackle // Sophomore // 2022 Second-Team All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (2nd Team), 2021 (Freshman Defensive POY)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started in all 13 games this season, recording 26 total tackles (2.5 TFL), two quarterback hurries, a pass breakup and one interception … season-high six tackles came vs. Oregon State … recorded his first-career interception against Southern Utah, also grabbing three stops (0.5 TFL) … had two tackles, a pass breakup and a quarterback hurry at Oregon … notched five tackles at UCLA.
Keaton Bills // Offensive Line // Sophomore // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM)
Quick Hits: Has played in all 13 games this season with 12 starts at left guard … tallied his first-career rush in Utah's win over Stanford for five yards, also getting a fumble recovery … part of the offense that ranks 10th nationally and second in the Pac-12 in rushing offense (220.2) … helps lead an offensive line that ranks sixth in the FBS and third in the league in sacks allowed per game (0.69).
Cole Bishop // Safety // Sophomore // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM), 2021 (HM)
2022 Quick Hits: Has played in all 13 games with 12 starts while recording a team-high 77 total tackles (6.0 TFL, 1.5 sacks), also contributing three pass breakups, two quarterback hurries, a fumble recovery and an interception … career-high 12 tackles in Utah's season opener at Florida … had a pass breakup and nine stops against San Diego State … three tackles (1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack) with an interception at Arizona State … recorded six tackles and a fumble recovery at Oregon … finished with nine tackles, including seven solo stops, in Utah's Pac-12 Championship win over USC.
Jonah Elliss // Defensive End // Sophomore // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM)
2022 Quick Hits: Has played in 11 games with eight starts, recording 26 tackles (6.0 TFL, 3.0 sacks) along with two forced fumbles and recoveries … had two tackles, both for loss vs. Southern Utah … notched forced fumbles at Florida and against Arizona, also grabbing a recovery and two stops vs. the Wildcats … four tackles including his first sack of the year vs. USC in the regular season … had four tackles (1.5 TFL, 1.5 sacks) against Stanford.
R.J. Hubert // Safety // Senior // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM)
2022 Quick Hits: Has played in all 13 games with 12 starts … second on the team with 75 total tackles (3.0 TFL), adding two forced fumbles and recoveries, three interceptions (138 return yards) and two pass breakups … career-high 12 tackles vs. Oregon State, also recording a 70-yard interception return … pick-six for 39 yards vs. Southern Utah … 11 tackles (2.0 TFL) at UCLA … 47-yard fumble recovery return at Florida … nine stops and two pass breakups vs. USC during the regular season … had nine tackles and a key interception in the Pac-12 Championship game vs. USC.
Cameron Rising // Quarterback // Junior // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM), 2021 (1st Team)
2022 Quick Hits: Has started in 12 games in 2022, recording 241-of-364 passing (7 INT, 25 TDs) for 2,939 yards along with 68 rushes for 409 yards (6 TDs) … ranks ninth in ESPN's QBR Rating (82.8) … nine games this season with over 200+ yards passing including one 400-yard and one 300-yard game … eight games with multiple touchdown passes, including his career-high four vs. San Diego State … earned national praise for his career-night vs. USC in the regular season, competing 30-of-44 passes (0 INT, 2 TDs) for a career-best 415 yards, adding a career-high three rushing touchdowns on 11 carries and 60 yards … was also 22-of-34 passing for 310 yards and three touchdowns against the Trojans in the Pac-12 Championship game.
Devaughn Vele // Wide Receiver // Sophomore // 2022 Honorable Mention All-Pac-12
Career All-Pac-12 Honors: 2022 (HM)
2022 Quick Hits: Has played in all 13 games with 11 starts, ranking second on the team with 50 catches for 595 yards (5 TD) … currently has 846 all-purpose yards (595 rec., 246 PR, 5 rush) … career-high 94 receiving yards on seven catches vs. Oregon State (1 TD) … scored two touchdowns on three catches (38 yds) vs. San Diego State, also notching a career-best 60 punt return yards (5 returns) … 87 receiving yards on six receptions at UCLA … had five catches for 62 yards (1 TD), one punt return for 23 yards and one pass for nine yards vs. USC in the regular season.