American Conference football individual awards
(Redirected from AAC Offensive Player of the Year)
The American Conference (American), known before July 2025 as the American Athletic Conference,[1] gives five football awards at the conclusion of every season. The awards were first given in 2013, following the restructuring of the Big East Conference. The awards existed in the same format in the Big East from 1991 to 2012.
The five awards include Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Special Teams Player of the Year, Rookie of the Year, and Coach of the Year. Recipients are selected by the votes of the conference's head coaches.[2]
Offensive Player of the Year
[edit source]The Offensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at an offensive position.
Winners
[edit source]| * | Unanimous selection |
| † | Co-winner |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Winners by school
[edit source]| School (Seasons) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| UCF (2013–2022) | 3 | 2013, 2017, 2018 |
| Cincinnati (2013–2022) | 2 | 2020, 2021 |
| Navy (2015–) | 2 | 2015, 2019 |
| Tulane (2014–) | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| Army (2024–) | 1 | 2024 |
| East Carolina (2014–) | 1 | 2014 |
| North Texas (2023–) | 1 | 2025 |
| USF (2013–) | 1 | 2016 |
Defensive Player of the Year
[edit source]The Defensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at a defensive position.
Winners
[edit source]| * | Unanimous selection |
| † | Co-winner |
| Season | Player | Pos. | Team | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Marcus Smith | DE | Louisville | |
| 2014 | Jacoby Glenn† | CB | UCF | [3] |
| Tank Jakes† | LB | Memphis | ||
| 2015 | Tyler Matakevich | LB | Temple | [4] |
| 2016 | Shaquem Griffin | LB | UCF | [5] |
| 2017 | Ed Oliver | DT | Houston | [6] |
| 2018 | Nate Harvey | DE | East Carolina | [7] |
| 2019 | Quincy Roche | DE | Temple | [8] |
| 2020 | Zaven Collins* | LB | Tulsa | [9] |
| 2021 | Sauce Gardner* | CB | Cincinnati | [10] |
| 2022 | Ivan Pace Jr. | LB | Cincinnati | [11] |
| 2023 | Trey Moore | LB | UTSA | [12] |
| 2024 | Jimmori Robinson | LB | UTSA | [13] |
| 2025 | Landon Robinson | DT | Navy | [14] |
Winners by school
[edit source]| School (Seasons) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati (2013–2022) | 2 | 2021, 2022 |
| Temple (2013–) | 2 | 2015, 2019 |
| UCF (2013–2022) | 2 | 2014, 2016 |
| UTSA (2023–) | 2 | 2023, 2024 |
| East Carolina (2014–) | 1 | 2018 |
| Houston (2013–2022) | 1 | 2017 |
| Memphis (2013–) | 1 | 2014 |
| Navy (2015–) | 1 | 2025 |
| Louisville (2013) | 1 | 2013 |
| Tulsa (2014–) | 1 | 2020 |
Special Teams Player of the Year
[edit source]The Special Teams Player of the Year award is given to the player voted best on special teams. The recipient can either be a placekicker, punter, returner, or a position known as a gunner.
Winners
[edit source]| * | Unanimous selection |
| † | Co-winner |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
| Season | Player | Pos. | Team | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Demarcus Ayers† | RS | Houston | |
| Tom Hornsey† | P | Memphis | ||
| 2014 | Jake Elliott | K | Memphis | [3] |
| 2015 | Jake Elliott (2) | K | Memphis | [4] |
| 2016 | Tony Pollard | KR | Memphis | [5] |
| 2017 | Tony Pollard (2) | KR | Memphis | [6] |
| 2018 | Isaiah Wright | RS | Temple | [7] |
| 2019 | Dane Roy† | P | Houston | [8] |
| Antonio Gibson† | RS | Memphis | ||
| 2020 | Chris Naggar | K | SMU | [9] |
| 2021 | Marcus Jones | RS | Houston | [10] |
| 2022 | Mason Fletcher | P | Cincinnati | [11] |
| 2023 | LaJohntay Wester | RS | Florida Atlantic | [12] |
| 2024 | Jonah Delange | K | UAB | [13] |
| 2025 | Patrick Durkin | K | Tulane | [14] |
Winners by school
[edit source]| School (Seasons) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Memphis (2013–) | 6 | 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019 |
| Houston (2013–2022) | 3 | 2013, 2019, 2021 |
| Cincinnati (2013–2022) | 1 | 2022 |
| Florida Atlantic (2023–) | 1 | 2023 |
| SMU (2013–) | 1 | 2020 |
| Temple (2013–) | 1 | 2018 |
| Tulane (2014–) | 1 | 2025 |
| UTSA (2023–) | 1 | 2024 |
Rookie of the Year
[edit source]The Rookie of the Year award is given to the conference's best freshman.
Winners
[edit source]| * | Unanimous selection |
| † | Co-winner |
Winners by school
[edit source]| School (Seasons) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Houston (2013–2022) | 3 | 2013, 2016, 2021 |
| Memphis (2013–) | 2 | 2017, 2019 |
| Cincinnati (2013–2022) | 1 | 2018 |
| East Carolina (2014–) | 1 | 2020 |
| North Texas (2023–) | 1 | 2025 |
| SMU (2013–) | 1 | 2020 |
| Temple (2013–) | 1 | 2022 |
| Tulane (2014–) | 1 | 2023 |
| Tulsa (2014–) | 1 | 2024 |
| USF (2013–) | 1 | 2014 |
| UCF (2013–2022) | 1 | 2015 |
Coach of the Year
[edit source]George O'Leary won the first award with UCF after an 11–1 regular season in which UCF earned The American's last automatic berth to a BCS bowl game, the first major bowl appearance in school history.[2]
Winners
[edit source]Records reflect those at the time of selection, and do not include the conference championship game, the Army–Navy Game (which takes place a week after the conference title game), or bowl games.
| * | Unanimous selection |
| † | Co-Coach of the Year |
| Coach (X) | Denotes the number of times the coach has been selected |
| Season | Coach | School | Year with school | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | George O'Leary | UCF | 10th | 11–1 |
| 2014 | Justin Fuente[3] | Memphis | 3rd | 9–3 |
| 2015† | Tom Herman[4] | Houston | 1st | 11–1 |
| 2015† | Ken Niumatalolo[4] | Navy | 8th | 9–2 |
| 2016 | Ken Niumatalolo (2)[5] | Navy | 9th | 9–2 |
| 2017 | Scott Frost[6] | UCF | 2nd | 12–0 |
| 2018 | Luke Fickell[7] | Cincinnati | 2nd | 11–2 |
| 2019 | Ken Niumatalolo (3)[8] | Navy | 12th | 11–2 |
| 2020 | Luke Fickell (2)[9] | Cincinnati | 4th | 9–1 |
| 2021 | Luke Fickell (3)[10] | Cincinnati | 5th | 12–0 |
| 2022 | Willie Fritz[11] | Tulane | 7th | 10–2 |
| 2023 | Willie Fritz[12] | Tulane | 8th | 11–1 |
| 2024 | Jeff Monken[15] | Army | 11th | 10–1 |
| 2025 | Eric Morris[16] | North Texas | 3rd | 11–1 |
Winners by school
[edit source]| School (Seasons) | Winners | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati (2013–2022) | 3 | 2018, 2020, 2021 |
| Navy (2015–) | 3 | 2015, 2016, 2019 |
| Tulane (2014–) | 2 | 2022, 2023 |
| UCF (2013–2022) | 2 | 2013, 2017 |
| Army (2024–) | 1 | 2024 |
| Houston (2013–2022) | 1 | 2015 |
| Memphis (2013–) | 1 | 2014 |
| North Texas (2023–) | 1 | 2025 |
Footnotes
[edit source]- a Louisville left The American for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after 2013.[17]
References
[edit source]- ↑ "American Conference Launches Modernized Brand Identity Ahead of Football Media Days" (Press release). American Conference. July 21, 2025. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- 1 2 American Athletic Conference (December 11, 2013). "American Athletic Conference Announces 2013 Postseason Football Honors". Retrieved December 31, 2013.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "American Athletic Conference Announces 2014 Postseason Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 10, 2014. Retrieved December 17, 2014.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "2015 Postseason Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 2, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "American Athletic Conference Announces 2016 Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. November 30, 2016. Retrieved November 30, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "2017 American Athletic Conference Football Postseason Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. November 29, 2017.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "UCF's Milton, ECU's Harvey, Temple's Wright Named as American Players of the Year" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. November 28, 2018. Retrieved December 1, 2018.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "American Announces 2019 Postseason Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 4, 2019. Retrieved February 22, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "American Announces 2020 Football Postseason Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 15, 2020. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "American Announces 2021 Football Postseason Honors". theAmerican.org. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "2022 Postseason Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. November 30, 2022. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "2024 Postseason Football Honors" (Press release). American Athletic Conference. December 3, 2024. Retrieved December 3, 2024.
- 1 2 3 "American Announces 2024 Football Award Winners".
- 1 2 3 "American Announces 2025 Football Award Winners".
- 1 2 Cite error: The named reference
2024Awardswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - 1 2 Cite error: The named reference
2025Awardswas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ↑ "ACC votes to add Louisville". Sports Illustrated. November 28, 2012. Archived from the original on December 3, 2012. Retrieved December 31, 2013.