The American Conference (American), known before July 2025 as the American Athletic Conference, 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 selectionCo-winnerDenotes the number of times the player has been selected SeasonPlayerTeam 2013 QB UCF 2014 QB East Carolina 2015 QB Navy 2016 QB South Florida 2017 QB UCF 2018 (2) QB UCF 2019 QB Navy 2020 QB Cincinnati 2021 (2) QB Cincinnati 2022 RB Tulane 2023 QB Tulane 2024 QB Army 2025 QB North Texas
Winners by school School (Seasons) Winners YearsUCF (2013–2022) 3 2013, 2017, 2018Cincinnati (2013–2022) 2 2020, 2021Navy (2015–) 2 2015, 2019Tulane (2014–) 2 2022, 2023Army (2024–) 1 2024East Carolina (2014–) 1 2014North Texas (2023–) 1 2025USF (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-winner SeasonPlayerTeam 2013 DE Louisville 2014 CB UCF LB Memphis 2015 LB Temple 2016 LB UCF 2017 DT Houston 2018 DE East Carolina 2019 DE Temple 2020 * LB Tulsa 2021 * CB Cincinnati 2022 LB Cincinnati 2023 LB UTSA 2024 LB UTSA 2025 DT Navy
Winners by school School (Seasons) Winners Years Cincinnati (2013–2022) 2 2021, 2022Temple (2013–) 2 2015, 2019UCF (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 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 selectionCo-winnerDenotes the number of times the player has been selected SeasonPlayerTeam 2013 RS Houston P Memphis 2014 K Memphis 2015 (2) K Memphis 2016 KR Memphis 2017 (2) KR Memphis 2018 Isaiah Wright RS Temple 2019 P Houston Antonio Gibson RS Memphis 2020 Chris Naggar K SMU 2021 Marcus Jones RS Houston 2022 P Cincinnati 2023 RS Florida Atlantic 2024 K UAB 2025 K Tulane
Winners by school School (Seasons) Winners Years Memphis (2013–) 6 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019Houston (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 The Rookie of the Year award is given to the conference's best freshman.
Winners *Unanimous selectionCo-winner SeasonPlayerTeam 2013 QB Houston 2014 RB South Florida 2015 WR UCF 2016 DT Houston 2017 CB Memphis 2018 QB Cincinnati 2019 RB Memphis 2020 RB East Carolina RB SMU 2021 RB Houston 2022 QB Temple 2023 RB Tulane 2024 WR Tulsa 2025 RB North Texas
Winners by school School (Seasons) Winners Years Houston (2013–2022) 3 2013, 2016, 2021Memphis (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 2023Tulsa (2014–) 1 2024USF (2013–) 1 2014UCF (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 YearDenotes the number of times the coach has been selected SeasonCoachSchoolYear with schoolRecord 2013 UCF 10th 11–1 2014 Memphis 3rd 9–3 2015† Houston 1st 11–1 2015† Navy 8th 9–2 2016 (2) Navy 9th 9–2 2017 UCF 2nd 12–0 2018 Cincinnati 2nd 11–2 2019 (3) Navy 12th 11–2 2020 (2) Cincinnati 4th 9–1 2021 (3) Cincinnati 5th 12–0 2022 Tulane 7th 10–2 2023 Tulane 8th 11–1 2024 Army 11th 10–1 2025 North Texas 3rd 11–1
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 North Texas (2023–) 1 2025
Footnotes Louisville left The American for the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) after 2013.
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