Utah Utes, BYU football: Utes are rewarded with MWC accolades

Utah's Mountain West Conference football success continued Wednesday. The outright MWC champion Utes headlined the individual awards on this year's all-conference team.

Kyle Whittingham was named Coach of the Year; Brian Johnson picked up Offensive Player of the Year recognition; and Louie Sakoda scooped up his third consecutive Special Teams Player of the Year award.

TCU end Jerry Hughes won Defensive Player of the Year accolades, and Air Force quarterback Tim Jefferson was tapped as Freshman Player of the Year.

Winners were chosen by a pool of candidates, including all nine head coaches and two media members from each market.

• Whittingham was honored for leading the Utes to a 12-0 record, including an 8-0 mark in conference play. They're ranked sixth in the Bowl Championship Series standings and likely headed to the Sugar or Fiesta bowl.

"It's flattering. It's a product of our players," Whittingham said when the all-conference teams were unveiled on the Mountain West Sports Network. "Really, the thing that will get you a Coach of the Year award is good recruiting, and our assistants have done an outstanding job recruiting over the past four seasons."

Whittingham is the second Utah coach to win the MWC award, joining Urban Meyer, who won it in 2003 and 2004.

• Johnson is the second Ute to be named the league's top player on offense. The senior was one of the MWC's leading passers and is a finalist for two national honors, the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Manning Award.

"It's awesome," said Johnson, who added that winning the conference award is very rewarding, especially after all the adversity he faced with injuries earlier in his career.

Alex Smith, whom Johnson backed up in 2004, is Utah's other Offensive Player of the Year.

• Sakoda rounds out Utah's individual award winners. The senior, a three-time Special Teams Player of the Year, excels in both punting and place-kicking. He's a finalist for the Ray Guy and Lou Groza awards, as well as several other national honors.

"One of my goals coming in after a while was not only to help this team in every way possible but to leave the biggest legacy I could on and off the field," Sakoda told The mtn. "This is definitely huge for me."