Colorado University Athletics
Buffs Awuzie And Spruce Named To All-Pac-12 Team
December 01, 2015 | Football
SAN FRANCISCO — Colorado senior wide receiver Nelson Spruce and CU junior defensive back Chidobe Awuzie were named second-team All-Pac-12, the league office announced Tuesday. Buffs safety Tedric Thompson and tight end Sean Irwin were placed on the honorable mention squad.
Awuzie was one of key players in the Buffs defensive improvement in which the Buffs improved from 116th to 70th in the nation in scoring defense, improving 11.5 points per game from 39.0 to 27.5. Among the Buffs leading tacklers, he finished the year with two interceptions, including the game-clincher in CU's win at Oregon State.
One of the more versatile players on the defense, he played corner, nickel, safety and even lined up at linebacker and as an edge rusher on the defensive line. His four sacks were third on the team, and he had more tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage than any other Buff. He broke up eight passes and had a forced fumble and was second on the team in third-down stops.
"It's a honor, it's a high blessing," Awuzie said. "I feel like it's a culmination of Coach (Jim) Leavitt and Coach (Joe) Tumpkin really coming in and changing our defense. I felt like we had a lot of great players on defense and I just happen to be the one chosen by whoever chooses that. I think it's a representation of our team and that's good. Obviously I wish I could have had first team, but that just gives me a reason to grind harder."
Spruce ended his final campaign with 89 catches for 1,053 yards and 4 touchdowns. The most prolific receiver in Pac-12 history, he finished his career with a league record 294 receptions for 3,347 yards and 23 touchdowns. In the second game of the season against UMass, Spruce broke CU's career receptions mark previously held by Scotty McKnight.
Two games later against Nicholls State, he broke Michael Westbrook's 21-year-old receiving yards mark. At UCLA on Halloween, he broke the Pac-12 record for career receptions and then in his final game last week at Utah, he broke a tie with McKnight for most receiving touchdowns in CU history.
The honor was Spruce's second time being selected.
“It's good. You want that type of recognition," Spruce said. "First team would have been better. That was my goal coming into the year. My individual goal was first team because last year I was second team as well. But there are some good receivers this year, so I'm happy with it.”
Thompson was also among CU's leading tacklers on the season and had nine tackles at or behind the line of scrimmage, was second on the team in pass breakups and tied for the lead with three interceptions on the season, including one in the end zone at Utah last weekend keeping the Buffs in the game.
Irwin finished his junior campaign with 15 catches for 248 yards, a team-best average of 16.6 yards per reception. Five of his 15 catches went for 20-plus yards, including his long of 47 against Arizona.
