2023-11-29 20:03:33
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University center Zach Frazier and defensive back Beanie Bishop Jr. were named to the 2023 All-Big 12 Football First Team, selected by the league’s 14 head coaches and announced today by the conference.
Frazier, a junior eligibility-wise from Fairmont, West Virginia, has been a fixture on the all-conference squad going back to 2021 when he earned second team honors. Last year, Frazier was named to the first team and is one of only five repeat performers in 2023.
The others are Kansas State fullback Ben Sinnott, Texas wide receiver Xavier Worthy, Kansas State offensive lineman Cooper Beebe and Kansas State defensive back Cobee Bryant.
Frazier anchored a Mountaineer offensive line that finished the regular season ranked third in the country in rushing averaging 234.3 yards per game. That’s the best among all Power 5 programs this season.
Frazier made the play of the year in last Saturday’s Baylor win when he alertly hopped off the field on one leg to preserve time during West Virginia’s winning touchdown drive. His injury required him to have surgery on Monday and will force him to miss the Mountaineers’ bowl game coming up in December. Frazier was also slated to play in this year’s Senior Bowl in advance of the 2024 NFL Draft.
Bishop, who transferred from Minnesota this past summer, became one of the best defensive backs in the Big 12 this season for the Mountaineers. He led the nation and the Big 12 in passes defended with an average of 2.0 per game and his 20 pass breakups are one shy of tying the WVU single-season record of 21 established by Brian King in 2003.
Bishop also ranks 16th nationally with his four interceptions. The Louisville, Kentucky, resident began his collegiate career at Western Kentucky.
Two West Virginia players were selected to the All-Big 12 Second Team – tight end Kole Taylor and left tackle Wyatt Milum.
Taylor, an LSU transfer, led WVU with 33 catches for 411 yards and four touchdowns and becomes the first tight end since All-American Mark Raugh in 1981 to finish the regular season as the Mountaineers’ leading pass catcher.
Taylor, a Grand Junction, Colorado, resident, and Milum, a Spring Valley High product from Kenova, West Virginia, are juniors.
Fifty-nine players were recognized on the two all-conference football teams announced today.
West Virginia’s honorable mention choices include defensive back Aubrey Burks, linebacker Ben Cutter, running back CJ Donaldson Jr., specialist Preston Fox, quarterback Garrett Greene, linebacker Lee Kpogba, defensive lineman Mike Lockhart, place kicker Michael Hayes, defensive lineman Sean Martin, offensive lineman Doug Nester, offensive lineman Tomas Rimac, punter Oliver Straw, defensive lineman Edward Vesterinen, running back Jahiem White and offensive lineman Brandon Yates.
Oklahoma State running back Ollie Gordon Jr. was the Offensive Player of the Year, Texas defensive lineman T’Vondre Sweat was the Defensive Player of the Year and Oklahoma State’s Mike Gundy was the Chuck Neinas Coach of the Year following once once more leading the Cowboys to this weekend’s Big 12 Championship game at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.
Oklahoma State, predicted to finish seventh in the preseason poll, will play regular-season champion Texas in the championship game.
West Virginia, picked to finish last, ended the year 8-4 overall and 6-3 in the conference in coach Neal Brown’s fifth season guiding the Mountaineers. The eight overall wins and six conference victories are the most for WVU since 2018.
West Virginia will learn its bowl destination and opponent this Sunday following championship Saturday.
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