UNLV Rebels linebacker Jackson Woodard (7) heads onto the field before an NCAA football game against Vanderbilt at Allegiant Stadium Saturday, Sept. 16, 2023.
Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023 | 11:54 a.m.
Earlier this season, when asked about his players receiving awards, UNLV head coach Barry Odom said on-field success would beget plenty of off-field recognition.
He was right about that.
The Mountain West announced its postseason awards on Tuesday, and the Scarlet and Gray hauled in their share of hardware — including Odom, who was named Coach of the Year in his first season at the helm.
Odom is the first UNLV coach to win that award since John Robinson in 2000. He led the Scarlet and Gray to a 9-2 overall record and a 6-2 mark in conference play; that was good enough first place in the standings, and UNLV will host its first ever championship game on Saturday.
Quarterback Jayden Maiava took home Freshman of the Year honors, making him the third UNLV player in four years to claim that trophy. Maiava took over for starter Doug Brumfield in Week 4 and completed 64.1% of his passes while throwing for 2,626 yards and 14 touchdowns. He also ran for three scores.
Senior kicker Jose Pizano was another big winner, as he was named Special Teams Player of the Year. Pizano, a transfer from Missouri State, has made 23-of-25 field goals and 50-of-50 extra points. He has also come through in the clutch, nailing game-winning field goals against Vanderbilt and Colorado State.
The recognition didn’t stop there, as UNLV also placed a program-best five players on the All-Mountain West first team.
Ricky White was a lock at wide receiver after posting 1,308 yards and seven touchdowns; heading into Saturday’s game, the junior is just 39 yards away from setting a new UNLV record for receiving yards in a single season.
Right tackle Tiger Shanks was chosen for the first team due to his critical role in opening running lanes for the Scarlet and Gray’s top-ranked rushing attack. With Shanks anchoring the offensive line, UNLV leads the nation in rushing touchdowns with 36.
Jackson Woodard was selected for the All-MWC first team on the defensive side of the ball, slotting in as one of four linebackers. Woodard transferred from Arkansas and led UNLV with 105 tackles and 6.0 tackles for loss. The junior also notched 1.5 sacks and an interception.
UNLV’s standout special teams units were also recognized, with Pizano chosen as the first team placekicker and junior Jacob De Jesus earning a spot on the first team at both kick returner and punt returner.
An additional three UNLV players were honored on the second team. Maiava was the second-team quarterback, while defensive lineman Jalen Dixon and cornerback Cameron Oliver made it on the other side of the ball.
The deluge was a stark turnaround from recent years, when UNLV struggled to place even a single player among the All-Mountain West honorees. Last year, senior linebacker Austin Ajiake was the program’s only first-teamer, and the last time UNLV had an offensive player on the first team was 2021, when Charles Williams was one of the two running backs.
The recognition might not end here. Pizano is also one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, which goes to the nation’s best kicker, while Odom is likely to garner major attention for national Coach of the Year awards.
Mike Grimala can be reached at 702-948-7844 or [email protected]. Follow Mike on Twitter at twitter.com/mikegrimala.
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