West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum (74) warms up before an NCAA football game against Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Morgantown W.Va. Iowa State won 28-16.
West Virginia offensive lineman Wyatt Milum (74) warms up before an NCAA football game against Iowa State on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024, in Morgantown W.Va. Iowa State won 28-16.
MORGANTOWN ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” West Virginia University offensive tackle Wyatt Milum, defensive lineman TJ Jackson and linebacker Josiah Trotter were named as All-Big 12 Conference postseason award winners on Thursday, selected by the leagueÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s 16 coaches.
Milum, a senior from Kenova, was honored as the Big 12 Conference Offensive Lineman of the Year and was named to the all-conference first-team squad. Last year, the Spring Valley alumnus was named a second-team honoree.
Jackson, a senior from Millbrook, Alabama, also earned all-conference first-team honors, while Trotter, a redshirt freshman from Philadelphia, was awarded the leagueÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s defensive freshman of the year.
Milum is the third Mountaineer to win the lineman of the year award (Yodny Cajuste, 2018; Colton McKivitz, 2019) and the first outright winner. He has played in 47 games, started 43 and has been used on 2,951 snaps over his four-year career. This season, he has helped WVU rank No. 9 among Power Four schools in rushing yards per game (192.7).
WVU is one of two Division I FBS schools with three players to have at least 600 rushing yards. In 2023, Milum helped the Mountaineers rushing attack claim the No. 1 spot among Power Four schools, averaging 228.9 yards per game.
Milum also has not allowed a sack in 34 of the past 36 games in which he played, including not allowing any over the past two seasons. He was named a semifinalist for the Outland Trophy, given to the nationÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s best interior lineman.
In 2024, Milum also has not allowed a quarterback hurry and only seven pressures. PFF College lists Milum as its No. 3 offensive tackle in the nation, grading out at 90.1. His 84.2 run-blocking grade is No. 6 and his pass-blocking grade (89.8) is No. 4. WVU has run for at least 140 rushing yards in 26 of its last 28 games.
West Virginia is tied for No. 10 nationally with 83 rushes gaining 10-plus yards, tied for No. 8 with 128 missed tackles forced on runs, No. 14 with 1,647 rushing yards after contact and No. 19 with 141 rushes gaining a first down.
Jackson played in all 12 games in 2024, starting nine after transferring for the 2024 season. He finished the regular season with 38 tackles, including 20 solo stops, 6.5 sacks, 13.5 tackles for loss and a fumble recovery. He is No. 1 nationally in run defense grade (90.6) by PFF College and tied for No. 25 nationally (82.3) among edge rushers overall. He is fifth in the Big 12 in sacks.
Jackson had a season-high six tackles against Pitt, Kansas and Arizona, finished with at least one tackle for loss in eight games and had at least one sack in six games. His top performance of the season was at Pitt, where he finished with a career-best four tackles for loss, tying him for fourth-best in school history and the most in a games since 2018.
Trotter, WVUÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s first Big 12 Conference Defensive Freshman of the Year, played in all 12 games and started 11. He was the nationÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s leading freshman tackler with 92 tackles, including 36 unassisted tackles, assisted on a sack, four tackles for loss, give quarterback hurries, two pass breakups and an interception. He also was WVUÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s second-leading tackler and was the teamÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s leading tackler in five of 12 games this year. He finished with four double-figure tackle games and had a career best 12 tackles against Iowa State and Cincinnati. He also recorded at least one tackle for loss in three games, had a season-high 1.5 tackles for loss at Cincinnati and registered an interception at Oklahoma State.
Sixty-nine players were recognized on the two all-conference teams announced Thursday.
West VirginiaÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s honorable-mention choices included tight end Kole Taylor, offensive lineman Nick Malone, offensive lineman Tomas Rimac, kickoff/punt returner Preston Fox, defensive lineman Sean Martin and Trotter.
Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders was the Offensive Player of the Year, Colorado cornerback Travis Hunter was the Defensive Player of the Year and Arizona StateÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Kenny Dillingham was the Chuck Neinas Coach of the Year after leading the Sun Devils to this weekendÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, after being predicted to finish 16th in the preseason poll. Arizona State will face Iowa State in the championship game.
West Virginia will play No. 25 Memphis in the Frisco Bowl in Frisco, Texas, on Dec. 17 at 9 p.m.
