Oregon's Mase Funa Named Pac-12 Defensive Lineman of the Week
Oregon Ducks defensive lineman/outside linebacker Mase Funa has been named the Pac-12 defensive lineman of the week, the conference announced on Monday.
Funa snagged an interception late in the fourth quarter against Washington State and returned it 27 yards for a pick-six. It was this play that sealed Oregon's 44-41 win over the Cougars and served as the exclamation mark on a ridiculous 29-point scoring onslaught in the final quarter of play.
Saturday's interception was the first of Funa's career and also marked his first touchdown as a Duck. It was the first interception return for a touchdown Oregon has had since Bennett Williams had one of his own against the Arizona Wildcats in 2021.
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Funa is the second straight Oregon player to win this weekly honor after Brandon Dorlus was recognized for his efforts in the team's 41-20 win over the BYU Cougars at home in week 3. Advanced analytics shed more light on just how well Funa played against the Cougars, finishing as the Ducks' highest-graded defender Pro Football Focus with an 86.7 overall grade and a 92.7 coverage grade.
He finished the game with four total tackles including half a tackle for loss. Oregon's win over Washington State was by far their best game as a front seven, registering four sacks and 11 total tackles for loss.
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