Oregon State's Jeremy Perry was a repeat first team selection at guard. UCLA guard Shannon Tevaga was selected to the Rivals.com first team while only garnering honorable mention selection on the official conference team. All Pac-10 center Enoka Lucas of Oregon was left off Rivals.com first and second teams. USC middle linebacker Rey Maualuga an All Pac-10 selection was picked on the Rivals.com second team. Oregon tackle Max Unger was selected to the second team by both selection committees. Oregon's Palauni Ma Sun (guard) and Matt Toeaina (defensive tackle) who were both honorable mention selections were selected to Rivals.com 2nd Team.
The Hawaiian was the Pac-10's co-freshman of the year last season and didn't disappoint in his second season as a starter. The Beavers had 19 rushing touchdowns this year, second in the conference. Behind Perry, running back Yvenson Bernard averaged more than 100 yards per game.
Tevaga has played virtually every snap on the way to another standout season. He has been a workhorse, starting 30 games in a row the last three seasons, blocking for quarterbacks Drew Olson, Ben Olson and Patrick Cowan and running backs Maurice Drew and Chris Markey equally well.
A freshman All-American a year ago, Unger continued to play a major role for Oregon as a sophomore. Oregon's passing game had its struggles but taking sacks was not one of them. The offensive tackle led the Oregon line which allowed one sack per game which ranked fourth in the country.
Toeaina started the season at defensive end but played admirably after he moved to defensive tackle following the third game. Toeaina had 36 tackles and three tackles for a loss but was at his best as a run stuffer. The Ducks allowed 171 rushing yards per game before his move and 127.3 yards after.
By this time next year, Maualuga should be one of the premier linebackers in the country. He entered the season in a battle with senior Oscar Lua for a starting spot and ended up tied with Keith Rivers for the team lead in tackles with 76. The highlight of the year came in the finale, a loss to UCLA, when Maualuga had one of the hits of the season. Maualuga came up with a bone-crushing hit on scrambling quarterback Patrick Cowan on the sideline.
Whether it was Dennis Dixon or Brady Leaf at quarterback or Jonathan Stewart or Jeremiah Johnson at running back, Ma Sun and the Oregon offensive line held up its end of the bargain. The Ducks finished first in the Pac-10 and 11th in the country in rushing offense at 189.2 yards per game.
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