Oliver rules as league’s best on defense
Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver was selected as the American Athletic Conference defensive player of the year, the conference announced Wednesday.
Oliver is the third player in program history to be a conference’s top defensive player, joining Wayne Rogers (2000) and Phillip Hunt (2008), who won the award in Conference USA.
Regarded as one of the premier defensive players in the nation, Oliver finished the regular season with 69 tackles, including with 14½ tackles for loss, 5½ sacks, seven quarterback hurries and two forced fumbles.
His production is even more remarkable considering Oliver missed one game (due to Hurricane Harvey) and three quarters of another game with an MCL injury that limited him for more than a month.
Oliver, a sophomore from Westfield, is also a finalist for two national awards: the Outland Trophy, awarded to the top interior lineman, and the Bronko Nagurski Trophy for the nation’s top defensive player.
This is the second year Oliver has received postseason AAC recognition; he was a first-team pick and the league’s Rookie of the Year in 2016.
UH linebacker D’Juan Hines, who set a careerhigh with 104 tackles, was named to the first team.
Defensive back Khalil Williams, who had eight tackles for loss, was a second-team selection.
Central Florida quarterback McKenzie Milton was tabbed the league’s offensive player of the year, and Scott Frost, who has led the Knights to an unbeaten record, was a unanimous selection for coach of the year.