Kendricks earns big honor

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Senior California linebacker Mychal Kendricks was named on Monday as the Pat Tillman Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year, a season removed from being an All-Pac-10 outside linebacker.

Appropriately enough, the quarterback who was on the receiving end of one of Kendricks' most brutal sacks of the season - Stanford signal-caller Andrew Luck -- earned Offensive Player of the Year honors.

"I think that's a great honor for Mychal. He has worked very hard over the years and been the backbone of our defense, and made a lot of plays for us," said head coach Jeff Tedford. "I think Myke would be the first to admit that he couldn't have done it without his teammates around him to help put him in position to do the things that he's done, but he's worked very hard, and obviously, he's a guy who people have recognized as someone who you have to pay attention to as you game plan. I'm very proud of how Mychal has grown and developed and I'm happy for him to be recognized with that honor."

A native of Fresno, Calif., Kendricks leads the Bears and ranks fourth in the conference with 8.0 tackles per game (96 total). He is also tied for third in the Pac-12 with 13 tackles for loss.

As a unit, the Cal defense ranks 27th nationally in total defense, holding opponents to 339.42 yards per game, and as a whole, has tallied 2.67 sacks per game to rank seventh.

Kendricks has recorded three sacks for 30 yards this season, and is the Bears' active leader in tackles (248), tackles for loss (35) and sacks (13.5). Cal has held seven opponents to 15 or fewer points this season.

In other all-conference news, wide receiver Keenan Allen and starting left tackle Mitchell Schwartz were named to the First-Team All-Pac-12 offense, while Kendricks was named to the first-team defense.

Senior defensive end Trevor Guyton was named to the second-team All-Pac-12 defense.

Senior punter Bryan Anger was named to the first-team All-Pac-12 on special teams, the only three-time first-team honoree on the rolls this season.

Honorable mentions from the Bears included D.J. Campbell, Sean Cattouse, Justin Cheadle, D.J. Holt, Marvin Jones, Anthony Miller, Isi Sofele, Matt Summers-Gavin, Giorgio Tavecchio -- who also earned Pac-12 Special Teams Player of the Week honors for his four-field goal performance against Arizona State -- and Aaron Tipoti.