PAC-10 Announces Players Of The Week

WALNUT CREEK, Calif.--Tailback Jacquizz Rodgers of Oregon State, safety Taylor Mays of USC and kicker Thomas Weber of Arizona State have been named U.S. Bank Pac-10 Players of the Week in football, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced.

Rodgers, a freshman from Richmond, Texas, keyed Oregon State's offense in the Beavers' 34-6 win at UCLA. Rodgers rushed 31 times for 144 yards and one touchdown and added three receptions for eight yards and another score. Rodgers established a new Pac-10 record for rushing yards by a freshman as he upped his season total to 1,089 yards, surpassing the freshman rushing record of 1,069 by Stanford's Darrin Nelson. Rodgers becomes just the third freshman in Conference history to rush for 1,000 yards in a season. It marks the second consecutive week and third time this year the freshman has been named offensive player of the week.

Mays, a junior from Seattle, Wash., was one of many defensive standouts for USC in the Trojans' 17-3 win against No. 21-ranked California. Mays had five tackles, four solo, and was credited with four pass breakups. The USC defense did not allow a touchdown from a California offense that entered the game averaging 36.4 points per game. It marked the first time a Jeff Tedford-coached Cal team did not score a touchdown in a game. The Trojan defense limited the Golden Bears to 13 first downs and 165 yards total offense (27 rushing, 138 passing) and posted four quarterback sacks (-34 yards).

Weber, a sophomore from Downey, Calif., had a busy afternoon in Arizona State's 39-19 win at Washington. Weber was three-for-three on field goal attempts, connecting from 34, 37 and 29 yards, and perfect on four PATs. In addition, he averaged 41.2 yards on four punts, with a long boot of 56 yards and two punts downed inside the 20-yard line, plus he handled kickoff duties for the Sun Devils.

Also nominated for offensive player of the week honors were running backs Jeremiah Johnson of Oregon, Nicolas Grigsby of Arizona and C.J. Gable of USC and receiver Mike Jones of Arizona State. Also nominated on defense were safeties Troy Nolan of Arizona State and T.J. Ward of Oregon State and linebackers Ronnie Palmer of Arizona, Keaton Kristick of Oregon State and Reggie Carter of UCLA. Joe Perkins of Arizona, Morgan Flint of Oregon, Johnny Hekker of Oregon State and Aaron Perez of UCLA were nominated for special teams play.