The University of Texas at Austin Athletics
Omenihu, Sterns named Big 12 Players of the Year
11.28.2018 | Football
Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference and its coaches on Wednesday afternoon.
IRVING, Texas - Texas Football's Charles Omenihu and Caden Sterns were honored by the Big 12 Conference's coaches on Wednesday as Players of the Year. Omenihu was named Defensive Lineman of the Year while Sterns was the Defensive Freshman of the Year.
Omenihu, a senior defensive end from Rowlett, Texas, is the second Longhorn in as many years to be honored as the Big 12's Defensive Lineman of the Year. Poona Ford was honored after the 2017 season, while Brian Orakpo was honored in 2008, making Omenihu the third Longhorn to earn the award.
Omenihu has at least one tackle for loss in each of the last eight games entering Saturday's Big 12 Conference Championship Game. He ranks fourth in the Big 12 with 14.5 tackles for loss on the season, while his 8.5 sacks rank second. In nine conference games, Omenihu racked up 13.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks. In total, he has 40 tackles with five QB hurries, two pass breakups, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Sterns, a freshman safety from Cibolo, Texas, becomes the seventh Longhorn to earn Big 12 Defensive Freshman of the Year honors. Cory Redding (1999), Derrick Johnson (2001), Rodrique Wright (2002), Brian Orakpo (2005), Quandre Diggs (2011) and Malik Jefferson (2015) have all earned the honor previously.
Sterns has started all 12 games to date, the most by a true freshman defensive back at Texas since Blake Gideon started all 13 in 2008. He has 59 tackles, tied for fourth on the team and has added three tackles for loss and a sack. He has four interceptions, tied with Diggs and Chris Carter (1993) for the most ever by a Longhorn true freshman. He has added four pass breakups and a blocked field goal against USC, which was returned for a touchdown by Anthony Wheeler.
Omenihu and Sterns give the Longhorns five Big 12 Players of the Year under Tom Herman in two seasons. Last season, Malik Jefferson was named Co-Defensive Player of the Year, Michael Dickson was the Special Teams Player of the Year and Ford was Defensive Lineman of the Year.
The Longhorns (9-3, 7-2) meet Oklahoma (11-1, 8-1) in Saturday's Dr. Pepper Big 12 Championship Game at AT&T Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. on ABC.
