Breaking Down the Pacific Takes Pac-12 Pre-Season Awards and All-Pac-12 Ballot

Next week, we will be releasing our official Pacific Takes Pac-12 pre-season awards and All-Pac-12 teams that are based on the voting of a number of Pac-12 bloggers, but while we tabulate the votes, here is my ballot.

Pac-12 Heisman Trophy (Essentially Pac-12 MVP)

First place - Marcus Mariota QB Oregon

I might have voted Mariota for this award last year, so he's the easy choice again. He's arguably the best player on what I think will be the best team in the conference and more than puts up the gaudy stats to back the honor.

Second place - Ka'Deem Carey RB Arizona

Carey should again either lead the nation in rushing or be very close and I could see him eclipse the 2,000 yard mark. I think Arizona's lack of competing for the Pac-12 title would keep him from winning the award, but his astounding stats keeps him in the conversation.

Third place - Marqise Lee WR USC

Lee had one of the best seasons a receiver has ever had in the Pac-12 in 2012 and on a lot of years I think he would be the easy choice for first here, but with how many prolific players on good teams there are in the conference this year at quarterback and running back, Lee is going to have to do a lot to win.

Defensive Player of the Year - Will Sutton DT Arizona State

Very, very tough call here between Sutton and Anthony Barr, but I'll go with Sutton since he won it last year and that will give him a slight inside track.

Freshman of the Year - Thomas Tyner RB Oregon

Tyner's skills coming into the Oregon offense is an almost scary thought for opposing defenses and even though he will get limited carries since the Ducks have De'Anthony Thomas and Byron Marshall, I think he will really impress in his first season.

Coach of the Year - Mark Helfrich Oregon

I think the Ducks will win the Pac-12 again and a first-year coach winning the conference is an easy choice for coach of the year, especially when there is as much pressure as Helfrich is facing.

Offensive Coordinator of the Year - Scott Frost Oregon

Once again, I think Oregon's offense will rack up record numbers and Frost will get praised for keeping the train rolling in his first season in the position.

Defensive Coordinator of the Year - Derek Mason Stanford

Just looking at Stanford's defensive depth chart is intimidating, so Mason is working with gold here, but he will still get the credit for putting out one of the best defenses in recent Pac-12 history in 2013.

All-Pac-12 Team

Offense

QB Marcus Mariota So. Oregon

Pretty much mapped out why Mariota is here in the Heisman award section. Mariota will also narrowly beat out Brett Hundley here.

RB Ka'Deem Carey Jr. Arizona

Once again, could easily lead the country in rushing and is statistically the best back in the nation.

RB Bishop Sankey Jr. Washington

I would normally put De'Anthony Thomas here, but since our ballot has an All Purpose position I'll put him there and give this spot to Sankey who is very deserving based on the season he put together last year.

WR Marqise Lee Jr. USC

Maybe the best receiver to ever play in the Pac-12. Easy call here.

WR Brandin Cooks Jr. Oregon State

Cooks doesn't have Markus Wheaton lining up down the line from him anymore, but he had the best statistical season of any receiver other than Lee in the Pac-12 that is returning and he should get more targets now that he is the Beavers' go-to-receiver.

TE Austin Seferian-Jenkins Jr. Washington

Was maybe the best tight end in the country last season and is now should be the unquestioned best.

T Cameron Fleming Sr. Stanford

Fleming is just another one in the growing long line of big, outstanding tackles at Stanford.

T Jake Fisher Jr. Oregon

Not enough people know who Fisher is, but he is big, athletic and a big reason why the Ducks run for so many yards.

G David Yankey Sr. Stanford

A sure-fire All-American and likely a first round draft pick. Going to be rolling over a lot of defensive linemen this Fall.

G Xavier Su'a-Filo Jr. UCLA

Made a huge impact after returning from his mission last year and should only improve with a full year back under his belt now.

C Hroniss Grasu Jr. Oregon

Grasu is a tough player that run blocks just about as well as anyone in the country.

All-Purpose De'Anthony Thomas Jr. Oregon

Simply the most dynamic, versatile and perpetually dangers player to maybe ever play in the Pac-12. A legitimate Heisman candidate.

K Vicenzo D'Amato Sr. Cal

I don't know much about kickers and there wasn't a clear cut guy here from last year so I basically looked at the kicking stats in the conference from last year and D'Amato's looked the best of anyone who was returning.

Defense

DE Scott Crichton Jr. Oregon State

Probably the best pure pass rusher in the conference, but also big enough to be strong against the run.

DE Morgan Breslin Sr. USC

Breslin might play more of a linebacker role in USC's new defense, but I still count him as a defensive end and he can get after the quarterback as well as any defensive end in the country.

DT Will Sutton Sr. Arizona State

Returning Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year. Enough said.

DT Leonard Williams So. USC

If the format let you just pick four defensive linemen in general I would probably have Ben Gardner or Henry Anderson here but since it's defensive tackle, I'll go with Williams who has more potential than any other defensive linemen in the conference.

LB Anthony Barr Sr. UCLA

Barr easily could have been the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year and is as big of a physical freak as I have ever seen on defensive in the Pac-12.

LB Trent Murphy Sr. Stanford

Murphy is way too good of an athlete for how massive he is and would usually be the best linebacker in the conference if it wasn't for Barr.

LB Shayne Skov Sr. Stanford

I wouldn't be surprised if Skov ends up being the heralded Pac-12 linebacker that is the All-American at the end of the season.

CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu Jr. Oregon

Easy call, Ekpre-Olomu is a great ballhawk, but also a really good tackler.

CB Terrance Mitchell Jr. Oregon

Ekpre-Olomu might get more attention but I think Mitchell is almost as good.

S Ed Reynolds Sr. Stanford

An athletic interception machine. I don't think Reynolds can match his output from 2012 but should still easily be the best safety in the conference.

S Dion Bailey Jr. USC

Bailey was a great linebacker and one of the best pass-defending linebackers in the country so he should transition to the backfield well.

Returner De'Anthony Thomas Jr. Oregon

I can't remember another Pac-12 return man that people have been as scared to kick to as Thomas.

P Tom Hackett So. Utah

Same thing as kicker, just looked at stats and chose the one with the best who is returning.