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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah senior Nate Orchard was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Week Monday following his performance in a 20-17 double-overtime win over Stanford Saturday.
Orchard recorded 10 total tackles, 3.5 sacks for a loss of 28 yards and also forced a fumble in the win. His final sack of the game came in second overtime, forcing the Cardinal to attempt a 51-yard field goal. Utah later won with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Travis Wilson to Kenneth Scott.
Orchard's sack total against Stanford put his season total at 16.5 that ties Washington's Hau'oli Kikaha for the most in the nation. Orchard broke Utah's single-season sack record held by Jimmy Ballamy set in 1991, and Orchard is only five sacks away from eclipsing the school's career sacks record of 27 held by John Frank.
The Pac-12 honor is the second of the year for Orchard, who earned it following Utah's road win over UCLA. Wilson and punter Tom Hackett were alson nominated for conference awards.
Orchard is among four Utes — Kaelin Clay, Andy Phillips (twice) and Gionni Paul — to be honored by the Pac-12 this season.
