Jim Thorpe Award: Oregon DB takes it home this week

By Anthony Slater – Aslater@opubco.com – @anthonyVslater 

Ekpre-Olomu picked off two Matt Scott passes, returning one 54 yards for a fourth-quarter touchdown, in the Ducks dominant 49-0 win over Arizona.

“This is my first year starting, so I was ready for them to throw my way every time,” Ekpre-Olomu said to reporters following the game. “I just wanted to show them what I could do.”

It was a game that many expected to be high-scoring, with Oregon’s potent attack meeting Arizona’s 46-point per game average. But the Ducks quickly dispelled that notion, holding the Wildcats to 332 total yards and no points, despite six trips to the red zone.

Ekpre-Olomu wins the award for the first time in his career. The others nominated were West Virginia’s Darwin Cook, Kent State’s Darius Polk and Troy’s Brynden Trawick.

No Oklahoma or Oklahoma State players have been nominated during any week this season.

List of previous winners
Week 1: Dee Milliner, Alabama
Week 2: Johnthan Banks, Mississippi State
Week 3: Phillip Thomas, Fresno State