Midseason All-Pac-12 team: UW Huskies well represented, but not Jake Browning

The Hotline is not always a glutton for punishment, embarrassment and any other -ments of the ignominious variety, and I had no intention of starting our multi-part midseason review with two all-conference teams.

Because two all-conference teams means 10 offensive linemen, and offensive linemen are so damn tough to evaluate unless you’re watching every play for every team knowing in advance what’s supposed to happen with the blocking and protection schemes.

But as I compiled the first-team candidates, it quickly became apparent that there were far more deserving receivers and defensive backs than one team would allow.

(In contrast, it’s not an elite group of tailbacks this season.)

So we opened it up and began seeking input from Hotline contacts throughout the conference, particularly in the regard to … you guessed it … offensive linemen.

The result is two all-conference teams for offense and defense, and one for specialists:

• Each defense features four linemen and four linebackers — both 4-3 and 3-4 schemes are deployed — and three cornerbacks, because so many teams are in nickel all the time. (I did not distinguish between the corner and nickel positions with player selections, however.)
• I took some liberty with USC’s Porter Gustin, who has been arguably the best defensive player in the conference as a hybrid, edge rusher. Because there were more deserving linebackers than ends, I listed Gustin as the latter to create an additional slot for the former. (If you hadn’t heard: He is out for the season with a broken ankle, a significant blow to the Trojans.)
• Each offense has three receivers, because so many teams play with three all the time, but there is a tight end. The position is making a comeback, it seems, and has produced quality play at a number of schools. I did not, however, break the offensive lines into C-G-G-T-T arrangement: Just the best five, and the next-best five.

OFFENSE

First team

QB: Oregon’s Justin Herbert
RB: Utah’s Zack Moss
RB: Oregon State’s Jermar Jefferson
WR: Colorado’s Laviska Shenault
WR: Washington’s Aaron Fuller
WR: Oregon’s Dillon Mitchell
TE: Stanford’s Kaden Smith
OL: Washington’s Kaleb McGary
OL: Oregon’s Shane Lemieux
OL: Utah’s Jackson Barton
OL: Washington State’s Andre Dillard
OL: Oregon’s Calvin Throckmorton

Second team

QB: Washington State’s Gardner Minshew
RB: Washington’s Myles Gaskin
RB: UCLA’s Joshua Kelley
WR: Stanford’s JJ Arcega-Whiteside
WR: Arizona State’s N’Keal Harry
WR: Utah’s Britain Covey
TE: Washington’s Drew Sample
OL: Utah’s Jordan Agasiva
OL: UCLA’s Boss Tagaloa
OL: Arizona’s Layth Friekh
OL: Oregon’s Penei Sewell
OL: USC’s Chuma Edoga

DEFENSE

First team

DE: Utah’s Bradlee Anae
DT: Washington’s Greg Gaines
DT: Oregon’s Jordon Scott
DE: USC’s Porter Gustin
LB: Arizona’s Colin Schooler
LB: Utah’s Chase Hansen
LB: Washington’s Ben Burr-Kirven
LB: Oregon’s Justin Hollins
CB: Utah’s Julian Blackmon
CB: Washington’s Byron Murphy
CB: Stanford’s Paulson Adebo
S: Oregon’s Ugo Amadi
S: Washington’s Taylor Rapp

Second team

DE: Oregon’s Jalen Jelks
DT: Colorado’s Mustafa Johnson
DT: Utah’s Leki Fotu
DE: UCLA’s Osa Odihizuwa
LB: Washington State’s Peyton Pelluer
LB: Colorado’s Nate Landman
LB: Cal’s Jordan Kunaszyk
LB: USC’s Cameron Smith
CB: Arizona State’s Chase Lucas
CB: UCLA’s Darnay Holmes
CB: Washington’s Jordan Miller
S: Washington State’s Jalen Thompson
S: Utah’s Marquise Blair

SPECIAL TEAMS

K: UCLA’s JJ Molson
P: WSU’s Oscar Draguicevich
PR: Arizona’s Shun Brown
KR: Cal’s Ashtyn Davis
AP: Arizona’s J.J. Taylor