Dec 17, 2020

Ten Wildcats Earn Postseason Honors from Big 12 Coaches

Posted Dec 17, 2020 5:20 PM

Via K-State Athletics

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Led by Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year Deuce Vaughn and First Team All-Big 12 performers Phillip Brooks and Wyatt Hubert, a total of 10 Kansas State football players picked up postseason honors as the Big 12 announced the coaches’ All-Big 12 selections on Thursday.

Vaughn is the second Wildcat to earn the Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year award – joining Tyler Lockett (2011) – and the Round Rock, Texas native was also named a Second Team All-Big 12 running back, the first Wildcat true freshman in the Big 12 era to earn first- or second-team honors on offense from the league’s coaches.

Brooks was the First Team All-Big 12 kick and punt returner, the 14th time in the 25-year existence of the Big 12 – and the seventh time in the last eight years – that a Wildcat was a First Team All-Big 12 returner. Hubert was one of three players in the Big 12 to be a unanimous selection to the All-Big 12 First Team, joining Iowa State running back Breece Hall and Texas offensive lineman Samuel Cosmi.

Joining Vaughn on the second team were tight end Briley Moore and offensive lineman Noah Johnson. Place kicker Blake Lynch, defensive back Jahron McPherson, linebacker Elijah Sullivan and defensive tackle Drew Wiley each picked up Honorable Mention All-Big 12 accolades.

In addition to their placing on various teams, Hubert also earned votes for the Big 12 Defensive Player and Lineman of the Year awards, Johnson for the Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year award and Moore for the Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year Award. Senior Brock Monty earned votes for the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year award.

Vaughn is one of only two players in the nation to top 600 rushing yards and 400 receiving yards so far in 2020, joining Clemson senior running back Travis Etienne, and is the only player in the Big 12 to lead his team in both rushing and receiving yards. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 in rushing (64.2 yards per game) and 10th in scoring (5.4 points per game) and is the top freshman in both categories. He also ranks fifth in the nation among freshmen, third in the Big 12 overall and tops among freshmen in the league in all-purpose yards per game (112.1).

In the final regular season game against Texas, Vaughn broke the K-State freshman records for rushing yards (642), all-purpose yards (1,221), yards from scrimmage (1,076) and total touchdowns (9), needing only 10 games to do so.

Brooks totaled 411 return yards this season, including 261 punt-return yards and a pair of touchdowns. His 23.7-yard average on punt returns is tops in school history and would lead the nation if he had the required minimum amount of returns.

A native of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, Brooks set the school record with 189 punt-return yards against Kansas and took two punts back for touchdowns, the most by a Big 12 player in a conference game in league history. Additionally, his 47.25-yard average against KU was the highest by any player in the nation with at least four attempts since at least 1996.

Hubert, a product of Topeka, Kansas, earned his second-straight First Team All-Big 12 honor as his 8.5 sacks tied for the Big 12 lead and ranked 25th nationally during the regular season. He also tied for third with 13.0 tackles for loss. His season totals were given a boost when he tallied a career-high 2.5 sacks against Oklahoma State, the most by a Wildcat in a conference game since 2013.

The junior ranks first nationally among non-seniors with 20.0 career sacks, while he is fourth overall among active players with 0.59 career sacks.

Coaches’ All-Big 12 Teams (Kansas State)

Big 12 Offensive Freshman of the Year: Deuce Vaughn (RB).

First Team: Phillip Brooks (KR/PR), Wyatt Hubert (DL).

Second Team: Deuce Vaughn (RB), Briley Moore (FB), Noah Johnson (OL).

Honorable Mention: Wyatt Hubert (Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, Big 12 Defensive Lineman of the Year), Blake Lynch (PK), Jahron McPherson (DB), Brock Monty (Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Year), Briley Moore (Big 12 Offensive Newcomer of the Year), Noah Johnson (Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year), Elijah Sullivan (LB), Drew Wiley (DL).