Utah CFB Defensive Awards: Week Two
You waited for what seemed like an eternity for football season to return, and before one could fully appreciate it back in all its glory, we've already closed the books on week two action.
The AP Top 25 has already booted preseason picks and added upstart teams, supposedly mighty teams have been tamed, and afterthoughts have thrust themselves into the limelight.
The beauty and wackiness of college football hasn't gone anywhere and neither have the stellar performances we've witnessed right here in our own backyard.
Another week means another set of awards from the staff here at ESPN 97.7.
Today it’s all about the defense and here’s a reminder on how it works.
We are naming the top defensive efforts from the following groups at the D1 level in Utah and Utah only:
Best Pass Rusher:
Best Ball Hawk:
TFL Master:
Best Tackler:
Best Defensive Unit:
Since multiple categories are individual awards, every team that won this week (Utah, BYU, Weber State, SUU) and every team that lost (USU, Utah Tech) are eligible for an award if deemed worthy.
If we snub your favorite player, there’s always next week.
Lets do it.
PASS RUSHER: CONNOR O’TOOLE, UTAH
There was solid pass rushing from multiple guys in week one.
BYU’s Jack Kelly and Utah Tech’s Rick Mua’e, all had a sack or a sack and a half to their name while recording no less than 6 total tackles for Kelly and 8 for Mua’e.
SUU’s Talmage Brown only had one tackle, but made it count with a strip sack, forcing a fumble in El Paso.
But only one man recorded two sacks, and that was Utah’s Connor O’Toole against a team he visited back in 2019 on an official visit.
O’Toole next to the two sacks ripped out 7 tackles and was responsible for forcing a state high -28 yards for Baylor.
One of the sacks was a strip sack itself, resulting in a lose ball that Utah jumped on resulting in a Rising to Bernard score for Utah to go up 14-0.
Leading in sacks, negative yards inflicted and a fumble not only forced, but recovered, makes Connor O’Toole the man of the week.
BALL HAWK: MARQUE COLLINS, BYU
The interception numbers dipped quite a bit from week one as only two players would haul in a pass from the opposition.
Weber State’s Angel King had an interception to go with one tackle to put his name on the list of two possible candidates.
The other was Marque Collins of BYU with a slick interception, the sixth of his career, when SMU was threatening on the Cougs twenty yard line.
It came in the 4th quarter in a tight 15-12 ball game.
With BYU protecting their slight lead, Collins not only jumped the pass but did an excellent impersonation of a receiver getting both feet down before falling out of bounds.
Aside from the play being made when the Cougars were in danger of losing a lead, Collins also chipped in two tackles and a pass breakup cementing him as the ball hawk of the week.
TFL: BLAKE MANGELSON, BYU
As per usual, the pass rusher of the week will always have a case in this category, as Connor O’ Toole had 2 TFL’s for -28 yards.
But taking the easy way out isn't our style, and thus someone else will win the TFL for week two.
O’ Toole’s teammates Van Fillinger (who had an amazing field goal block) and Tao Johnson both had 2 tackles for loss in the win over Baylor.
BYU saw multiple players record a tackle for loss including Jakob Robinson’s 2.
SUU as a team had ten tackles for loss between ten players at UTEP in an impressive showing.
Kemari Munier-Bailey has his name reappear after two tackles for loss with another sack for the Wildcats.
Yet only one player eclipsed the 2 tackles for loss barrier, that being BYU’s Blake Mangelson.
Mangelson not only had the most tackles for loss in the state at 2.5 but added 7 tackles to his resume, tying Tao Johson and Connor O’Toole of Utah by most tackles from a player with 2 or more tackles for loss.
Johnson’s tackles were all solo efforts making him even with Mangelson in comparison.
Because although Blake had a half a tackle for loss more, his 7 tackles only consisted of two solo tackles.
The defining stat that pulls Mangelson ahead is yards lost to their respective opponents.
Johnson forced a loss of two total yards, Mangelson forced -14 yards on SMU. Including a sack.
TACKLER: JORDAN VINCENT, UTAH STATE
For the second week straight, a Utah Tech Trailblazer led the state in total tackles.
Spencer Rich had 12 tackles, 4 solo in the loss in Vegas.
Based on pure tackling merits alone Rich would be the guy, but their were a couple of Aggies right behind him with only one tackle difference.
Ike Larsen, last weeks ball hawk award winner had 11 tackles, 7 of which were individual tackles.
The small difference in total tackles mixed with Utah State’s defenders having three more solo tackles makes me lean in their direction.
At first, I assumed Ike Larsen should take home the honors, but we awarded him last week and we aim to get as many names out there as we can to promote the talent right here in Utah.
Larsen’s two pass breakups was enough to seal the deal, but if I left Van Fillinger out of the TFL running due to a “blocked field goal not being related to TFL stats regardless of how cool it is” then I had to do the same for Larsen and his breakups.
Since Larsen and Fillinger both took home awards last week, it’s fitting to recognize the other Aggie in this scenario, Jordan Vincent.
Vincent’s 11 tackles and the 7 solo take downs give him the slight edge over Utah Tech’s Spencer Rich.
DEFENSIVE UNIT: BYU COUGARS
This was a tight one between the two Big 12 teams.
By default, Utah gave up the least amount of yards in the state only giving up 223 yards to Baylor.
Yet on the other hand, BYU forced the most turnovers (3), allowed the fewest points (15), and gave up fewer yards per play (3.6 compared to 3.7).
Yes that last one means next to nothing.
BYU gave up 261 more yards, 38 more than the Utes, but SMU also ran 11 more plays than Baylor.
Utah forced Baylor into going 4/16 on third down.
But BYU forced the Mustangs into going 3/16 on third down.
Once again, small, but those things add up.
Both teams had 3 sacks a piece, BYU had an interception. (See above)
You can pick Utah here and no one would judge you, but the slight stat disparities and BYU’s red zone defense takes home the slight win this week.