# American Athletic Conference football individual awards

The American Athletic Conference (The American) 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.

## Offensive Player of the Year

The Offensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at an offensive position.

### Winners

| * | Unanimous selection |
| $^†$ | Co-Player of the Year |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Positions key :
| QB | Quarterback | RB | Running back | TE | Tight end | WR | Wide receiver |
| Class key ||||||||
| Fr | Freshman | So | Sophomore | Jr | Junior | Sr | Senior |
| Season | Player | School | Position | Class |
| 2013 | Blake Bortles | UCF | QB | Jr |
| 2014 | Shane Carden | East Carolina | QB | Sr |
| 2015 | Keenan Reynolds | Navy | QB | Sr |
| 2016 | Quinton Flowers | USF | QB | Jr |
| 2017 | McKenzie Milton | UCF | QB | So |
| 2018 | McKenzie Milton (2) | UCF | QB | Jr |
| 2019 | Malcolm Perry | Navy | QB | Sr |
| 2020 | Desmond Ridder | Cincinnati | QB | Jr |
| 2021 | Desmond Ridder (2) | Cincinnati | QB | Sr |
| 2022 | Tyjae Spears | Tulane | RB | Jr |
| 2023 | Michael Pratt | Tulane | QB | Sr |
| 2024 | Bryson Daily | Army | QB | Sr |

### Winners by school

| 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 |
| USF (2013–) | 1 | 2016 |

## Defensive Player of the Year

The Defensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at a defensive position.

### Winners

| * | Unanimous selection |
| $^†$ | Co-Player of the Year |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Positions key :
| DE | Defensive end | DT | Defensive tackle | LB | Linebacker | S | Safety |
| Class key ||||||||
| Fr | Freshman | So | Sophomore | Jr | Junior | Sr | Senior |
| Season | Player | School | Position | Class |
| 2013 | Marcus Smith | Louisville | DE | Sr |
| 2014$^†$ | Jacoby Glenn | UCF | CB | So |
| 2014$^†$ | Tank Jakes | Memphis | LB | Sr |
| 2015 | Tyler Matakevich | Temple | LB | Sr |
| 2016 | Shaquem Griffin | UCF | LB | Jr |
| 2017 | Ed Oliver | Houston | DT | So |
| 2018 | Nate Harvey | East Carolina | DE | Sr |
| 2019 | Quincy Roche | Temple | DE | Jr |
| 2020$^*$ | Zaven Collins | Tulsa | LB | Jr |
| 2021$^*$ | Sauce Gardner | Cincinnati | CB | Jr |
| 2022 | Ivan Pace Jr. | Cincinnati | LB | Sr |
| 2023 | Trey Moore | UTSA | LB | So |
| 2024 | Jimmori Robinson | UTSA | LB | Sr |

### Winners by school

| 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 |
| Louisville (2013) | 1 | 2013 |
| Tulsa (2014–) | 1 | 2020 |

## Special Teams Player of the Year

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

| * | Unanimous selection |
| $^†$ | Co-Player of the Year |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Positions key :
| K | Placekicker | KR | Kick returner | P | Punter | PR | Punt returner | RS | Return specialist |
| Class key ||||||||||
| Fr | Freshman | So | Sophomore | Jr | Junior | Sr | Senior |
| Season | Player | School | Position | Class |
| 2013$^†$ | Demarcus Ayers | Houston | RS | Fr |
| 2013$^†$ | Tom Hornsey | Memphis | P | Sr |
| 2014 | Jake Elliott | Memphis | K | So |
| 2015 | Jake Elliott (2) | Memphis | K | Jr |
| 2016 | Tony Pollard | Memphis | KR | Fr |
| 2017 | Tony Pollard (2) | Memphis | KR | So |
| 2018 | Isaiah Wright | Temple | RS | Jr |
| 2019$^†$ | Dane Roy | Houston | P | Sr |
| 2019$^†$ | Antonio Gibson | Memphis | RS | Sr |
| 2020 | Chris Naggar | SMU | K | Sr |
| 2021 | Marcus Jones | Houston | RS | Sr |
| 2022 | Mason Fletcher | Cincinnati | P | So |
| 2023 | LaJohntay Wester | Florida Atlantic | RS | Jr |
| 2024 | Jonah Delange | UAB | K | So |

### Winners by school

| 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 |
| UTSA (2023–) | 1 | 2024 |

## Rookie of the Year

The Rookie of the Year award is given to the conference's best freshman.

### Winners

| * | Unanimous selection |
| $^†$ | Co-Player of the Year |
| Player (X) | Denotes the number of times the player has been selected |
Positions key :
| DE | Defensive end | LB | Linebacker | OT | Offensive tackle | QB | Quarterback |
| S | Safety | RB | Running back | WR | Wide receiver | TE | Tight end |
| Season | Player | School | Position |
| 2013 | John O'Korn | Houston | QB |
| 2014 | Marlon Mack | South Florida | RB |
| 2015 | Tre'Quan Smith | UCF | WR |
| 2016 | Ed Oliver | Houston | DT |
| 2017 | T. J. Carter | Memphis | CB |
| 2018 | Desmond Ridder | Cincinnati | QB |
| 2019 | Kenneth Gainwell | Memphis | RB |
| 2020$^†$ | Rahjai Harris | East Carolina | RB |
| 2020$^†$ | Ulysses Bentley IV | SMU | RB |
| 2021 | Alton McCaskill | Houston | RB |
| 2022 | E.J. Warner | Temple | QB |
| 2023 | Makhi Hughes | Tulane | RB |
| 2024 | Joseph Williams | Tulsa | WR |

### Winners by school

| 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 |
| 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

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.

### Winners

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 | Memphis | 3rd | 9–3 |
| 2015$^†$ | Tom Herman | Houston | 1st | 11–1 |
| 2015$^†$ | Ken Niumatalolo | Navy | 8th | 9–2 |
| 2016 | Ken Niumatalolo (2) | Navy | 9th | 9–2 |
| 2017 | Scott Frost | UCF | 2nd | 12–0 |
| 2018 | Luke Fickell | Cincinnati | 2nd | 11–2 |
| 2019 | Ken Niumatalolo (3) | Navy | 12th | 11–2 |
| 2020 | Luke Fickell (2) | Cincinnati | 4th | 9–1 |
| 2021 | Luke Fickell (3) | Cincinnati | 5th | 12–0 |
| 2022 | Willie Fritz | Tulane | 7th | 10–2 |
| 2023 | Willie Fritz | Tulane | 8th | 11–1 |
| 2024 | Jeff Monken | Army | 11th | 10–1 |

### Winners by school

| 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 |

## Footnotes

* $^a$ Louisville left The American for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after 2013.