Pac-12 Awards: Falk, Marks and Dahl headline Cougars on all-conference teams

Washington State quarterback Luke Falk, receiver Gabe Marks and left tackle Joe Dahl have been named to the All-Pac-12 first team offense, the conference announced Tuesday.

Defensive linemen Darryl Paulo and Destiny Vaeao were each named to the All-Pac-12 second team defense. Safety Shalom Luani, right tackle Cole Madison, defensive lineman Hercules Mata'afa, linebacker Peyton Pelluer, center Riley Sorenson and receiver Dom Williams were named All-Pac-12 honorable mention.

Falk, a redshirt sophomore, shares first team quarterback honors with California's Jared Goff. In 11 games this season, Falk threw for 4,266 yards, 36 touchdowns and 8 interceptions while completing 70.7 percent of his attempts. He missed the Apple Cup due to an apparent concussion suffered in a win over Colorado.

Marks, a redshirt junior who was also named a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist, wrapped up the regular season with 99 catches for 1,125 yards and 14 touchdowns, which is a single-season record. Marks also set the WSU all-time record for receptions in a career this season.

Dahl, a senior, was still named to the conference's first team despite missing the last four games with an apparent lower leg injury. A rock on the left side, Dahl is still the nation's leading pass blocker according to Pro Football Focus.

Paulo and Vaeao led a re-energized Cougars defensive front this season, combining for 11 sacks and 19 tackles-for-loss in 11 games this season. Paulo and Vaeoa, both seniors, finished the regular season tied for seventh on the team in tackles with 38.

Luani, a junior college transfer, made an immediate impact on the Cougars' defense despite arriving June and without the luxury of a spring slate on campus. The safety is third on the team in tackles (86), tied for first in interceptions (3), passes defended (6) and forced fumbles (3). He also added 3 tackles-for-loss and a sack.

Madison started all 11 games for the Cougars at right tackle as a redshirt sophomore. With two years of eligibility remaining, Madison should continue to climb up the all-conference ladder. Sorenson, a junior, started 11 games at center this season, quarterbacking an improved group for much of the year.

Mata'afa, a redshirt freshman, made his presence known immediately this season. The coaching staff made the tough decision to redshirt him as a freshman, despite his play in practice that warranted immediate playing time. It paid off, however, Mata'afa, in 12 games, tallied 10 tackles-for-loss and six sacks. That's a monster freshman season.

The glue of the Cougars defense, Pelluer picks up his first conference honor as a redshirt sophomore. Pelluer was all over the field this season, leading the team in tackles with 98 and adding 11 tackles-for-loss in 12 games.

I wanted to save this one for last, mostly because he deserves the final word. Dom Williams gets a much-deserved conference recognition after his 73 reception, 997-yard regular season that included 11 touchdowns.

Williams, one of the few players not recruited by Leach left on the squad, saw this thing out and played a massive part in turning this program into a winner. A well-deserved honor, which probably should have been higher, for an all-time WSU great. Thanks for everything, Dom.

Flush the Apple Cup, this was an amazing season. And it's not over yet. Congrats to the 11 guys above and the rest of the team, as a whole.