On Dec. 18, the Pac-12 announced their conference awards for the two remaining members of the division. It was an even split, with WSU and Oregon State both having three players recognized for their impressive 2025 seasons.
For the Cougs, it was senior Parker McKenna, junior Issac Terrell and junior Tony Freeman who received awards.
With 2025 being the last year of the old-look Pac-12, these three Cougs mark the last award winners of the 66-year-old conference.
Parker McKenna – Top Defensive Performer
McKenna is a no-brainer for Top Defensive Performer. He led the Pac with 83 total tackles and led the Cougs with 48 solo tackles. Additionally, he was one of 23 players at the FBS level to record 80+ tackles, 5+ tackles for loss, 2+ sacks and at least one interception.
McKenna was truly the heart of the defense and in his senior year he separated himself from the pack. After coming over from Portland State last year, McKenna started mainly on special teams, eventually leading the team in special teams tackles.
This year however, he started every game from the linebacker position and ran away with the job. McKenna alongside Caleb Francl and Anthony Palano created a linebacker trio that was the core of the Coug’s No. 18 ranked defense.
Issac Terrell – Top Defensive Lineman
Terrell was a menace to opposing quarterbacks all season. 12 tackles for loss, seven sacks, six QB hits and 28 total tackles marked career highs in every category for the Lehi, Utah native. He led the entire conference for both sacks and tackles for loss with those career highs.
His top performance this year came against then No. 4 ranked Ole Miss where he put up two sacks and four tackles for loss. The Cougs managed to stay neck and neck with the SEC powerhouse team, only losing 24-21, in part because of the defense’s lockdown performance spearheaded by Terrell.
But it was not just against Ole Miss where he was a game changer. Game after game Terrell was beating o-lines and disrupting opposing offenses.
Closing out the regular season against the conference rival Beavers Terrell did what he did all year: apply pressure. 1.5 sacks, 1.5 tackles for loss and six total tackles shut down the OSU offense and set up the Cougs to win 32-8.
Tony Freeman – Special Teams Top Performer
The WSU punt return was ranked No. 8 nationally this year and that was because of one man: Freeman.
Individually, Freeman ranked No. 6 in the nation for punt returns averaging 16.8 yards per return. That ranking is in large part because of a record breaking performance against OSU to cap off the regular season.
Against the Beavers, Freeman had six punt returns and ran them back for a combined 169 yards, breaking the school’s previous record of 167 in one game. His longest of the night checked in at 59 yards, along with a 43-yarder to help propel the Cougs to the 32-8 win over the Beavs.
Although he is being honored for his special teams accomplishments, Freeman also got the job done on offense. As a receiver he was second on the team for receiving yards (557) and yards per game (46.42), sixth for yards per catch (10.92) and tied for first in both touchdowns (3) and longest reception (48 yards).
Whether it was on special teams or on offense, Freeman was invaluable to the Cougs’, putting them on the doorstep drive after drive and stretching the field when it mattered.
All three of these Cougs put up standout performances this season, and capped off the old-look Pac-12 with a flourish. The Cougs will play their final game of the season against Utah State in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl on Dec. 22.
