Mid-American Conference football individual awards explained

The Mid-American Conference football awards are given annually by the Mid-American Conference (MAC) at the conclusion of each college football season. The conference gives out a total of five awards, the Offensive, Defensive, and Freshman Players of the Year, the Coach of the Year, and the Vern Smith Leadership Award, which is given to the league's MVP in that season. The Vern Smith Award is selected by a vote of the coaches in the MAC while the remaining awards are selected by the MAC News Media Association.[1]

Offensive Player of the Year

Winners

Source:[2]

Season Player Team Position
QB
Toledo QB
(2) Toledo QB
1971 (3) Toledo QB
1971*
Miami
Bowling Green
Toledo
(2) Toledo
RB
(2) Western Michigan RB
1978 (3) Western Michigan RB
1978*
QB
Ohio
Central Michigan
Bowling Green
(2) Bowling Green
(3) Bowling Green
Miami QB
Kent State
Western Michigan QB
Ball State
Central Michigan
Bowling Green
(2) Bowling Green
Ball State
Central Michigan
Toledo
Ohio
WR
Miami RB
Marshall QB
Western Michigan RB
Marshall QB
(2) Marshall QB
2003[3] Miami QB
2004[4] Bowling Green QB
2005[5] Western Michigan WR
2006[6] Northern Illinois RB
2007[7] Central Michigan QB
2008[8] Ball State QB
(2) Central Michigan QB
2010[9] Northern Illinois RB
2011[10] Northern Illinois QB
2012[11] Northern Illinois QB
2013[12] (2) Northern Illinois QB
2014[13] Western Michigan RB
2015[14] Bowling Green QB
2016[15] Western Michigan WR
2017[16] Logan WoodsideToledoQB
2018[17] Tyree JacksonBuffaloQB
2019[18] LeVante BellamyWestern MichiganRB
2020[19] Jaret PattersonBuffaloRB
2021[20] Lew Nichols IIICentral MichiganRB
2022[21] Kurtis RourkeOhioQB
2023[22] Peny BooneToledoRB

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Toledo (1952) 9 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1974, 1975, 1995, 2017, 2023
Bowling Green (1952) 9 1971, 1973, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1991, 1992, 2004, 2015
Western Michigan (1948) 9 1976, 1977, 1978, 1988, 2000, 2005, 2014, 2016, 2019
Northern Illinois (1975) 7 1978, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2021
Central Michigan (1975) 6 1979, 1982, 1990, 1994, 2007, 2009
Miami (1948) 5 1966, 1972, 1986, 1998, 2003
Ball State (1975) 4 1980, 1989, 1993, 2008
Marshall (1954) 4 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002
Ohio (1947) 4 1968, 1981, 1996, 2022
Kent State (1951) 3 1965, 1987, 2021
Buffalo (1999) 2 2018, 2020
Akron (1992) 0
Eastern Michigan (1976) 0
Temple (2007) 0
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati (1947) 0
Central Florida(2002) 0
UMass (2011) 0

Defensive Player of the Year

Winners

Source:[2]

Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has won
Year* Co-Award Winners
Season Player School Position
(2) Western Michigan
DL
LB
DB
Dick AdamsMiami DB
Toledo
LB
Miami LB
(2) Miami LB
DB
Toledo
Miami
Ball State
LB
1980Miami LB
1980* Northern Illinois
Miami
LB
Miami DT
Toledo DB
Western Michigan LB
Western Michigan DT
Ball State LB
(2) Ball State LB
(3) Ball State LB
Western Michigan LB
Miami LB
(2) Miami LB
Bowling Green LB
(2) Bowling Green LB
Miami DB
Ball State P
Miami LB
(2) Miami LB
Miami LB
DB
Max Yates LB
Western Michigan DL
(2) Western Michigan DL
Marshall DL
Central Michigan DL
Western Michigan LB
Miami LB
Northern Illinois DE
Temple DE
Kent State DL
Western Michigan DT
Bowling Green DT
LB
Miami DB
Akron LB
Ohio DE
Northern Illinois DE
(2) Northern Illinois DE
2019Treshaun HaywardWestern MichiganLB
2020Troy Hairston (tie)Central MichiganLB
2020Brandon Martin (tie)Ball StateLB
2021Ali FayadWestern MichiganDE
2022Jose RamirezEastern MichiganDE
2023Matt SalopekMiamiLB

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Miami (1948) 17 1968, 1970, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1991, 1992, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2007, 2014, 2023
Western Michigan (1948) 11 1965, 1966, 1985, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011, 2019, 2021
Ball State (1975) 7 1975, 1978, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1996, 2020
Northern Illinois (1975) 5 1979, 1980, 2008, 2017, 2018
Bowling Green (1952) 4 1969, 1993, 1994, 2012
Toledo (1952) 4 1967, 1971, 1976, 1984
Central Michigan (1975) 3 1982, 2005, 2020
Akron (1992) 2 2000, 2015
Kent State (1951) 2 1972, 2010
Marshall (1954) 2 2001, 2004
Buffalo (1999) 1 2013
Ohio (1947) 1 2016
Temple (2007) 1 2009
Eastern Michigan (1976) 1 2022
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati (1947) 0
Central Florida (2002) 0
UMass (2011) 0

Special Teams Player of the Year

Winners

Source:[2]

Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has been selected
Year* Co-award winners
Season Player School Position
K
2001 (2) Ohio
2001* Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
(2) Northern Illinois
Toledo
(2) Central Michigan
Toledo
Ohio K
Kent State KR
Toledo K
Ball State K
Northern Illinois KR
Western Michigan KR
(2) Western Michigan KR
Toledo KR
2019Matthew TrickettKent StateK
2020D'Wayne EskridgeWestern MicihiganKR
2021Kalil PimpletonCentral MicihiganKR
2022Alex McNultyBuffaloK
2023Graham NicholsonMiamiK

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Northern Illinois (1975) 5 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2015
Toledo (1952) 5 2005, 2007, 2010, 2013, 2018
Western Michigan (1948) 4 1998, 2016, 2017, 2020
Central Michigan (1975) 3 2008, 2009, 2021
Ohio (1947) 3 1999, 2001, 2011
Ball State (1975) 2 2006, 2014
Kent State (1951) 2 2012, 2019
Miami (1948) 2 2004, 2023
Buffalo (1999) 1 2022
Akron (1992) 0
Bowling Green (1952) 0
Eastern Michigan (1976) 0
Temple (2007) 0
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati (1947) 0
Marshall (1954) 0
Central Florida (2002) 0 -UMass (2011) 0

Freshman Player of the Year

The Freshman Player of the Year award was first given by the MAC after the 1982 football season. That year's winner, Brian McClure, won a slew of MAC accords, including Offensive Player of the Year three times, and the Vern Smith award twice. Ball State, Central Michigan and Western Michigan are tied with the most awards, with players from each school winning five times.

Winners

Source:[2]

Year* Co-Award Winners
Position Key
QB RB TE WR Wide receiver
DE DT LB S Safety
K KR P PR Punt Returner
Season Player School Position
Northern Illinois
Western Michigan QB
Kent State
Ball State
Kent State
Central Michigan
1996
1996* Western Michigan QB
Western Michigan RB
Bowling Green
Ball State
Miami QB
Central Michigan RB
Ball State
Western Michigan QB
Central Michigan QB
Central Michigan
Ball State
Kent State DL
Bowling Green RB[23]
Western Michigan WR
Western Michigan WR
Western Michigan RB
Western Michigan RB
Ohio S
2017Marcus ChildersNorthern IllinoisQB
2018Jaret PattersonBuffaloRB
2019Brett GabbertMiamiQB
2020Lew Nichols IIICentral MichiganRB
2021Jay DuckerNorthern IllinoisRB
2022Sieh BanguraOhioRB
2023Jalen BuckleyWestern MichiganRB

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Western Michigan (1948) 10 1983, 1989, 1996, 1997, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2023
Central Michigan (1975) 6 1988, 1995, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2020
Ball State (1975) 5 1987, 1993, 2000, 2004, 2008
Kent State (1951) 4 1986, 1991, 1994, 2010
Miami (1948) 3 1992, 2001, 2019
Bowling Green (1952) 3 1982, 1998, 2011
Northern Illinois (1975) 2 1984, 1985, 2017
Buffalo (1999) 2 2002, 2018
Ohio (1947) 2 2016, 2022
Akron (1992) 1 1999
Eastern Michigan (1976) 1 1996
Temple (2007) 1 2009
Toledo (1952) 1 1990
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati (1947) 0
Marshall (1954) 0
Central Florida (2002) 0
UMass (2011) 0

Vern Smith Leadership Award

The Vern Smith Leadership Award was started in 1982 by the Downtown Toledo Athletic Club. In that year, it was known as the Jefferson Award and the name was changed to honor the University of Toledo Athletic Director Vern Smith in 1987. The award is given to the top football player in the Mid-American Conference. Only four players have won the award multiple times, with the most recent winner, Larry English, being the only non-quarterback to win it. Northern Illinois leads with seven awards all-time, followed by Bowling Green, Central Michigan and Marshall tied with four awards in each school. The Vern Smith award is the only one voted on by the coaches, with the Coach of the Year, as well as the Players of the Year are selected by the media.

Winners

Source:[2]

Player (X) Denotes the number of times the player has been selected
Year* Co-Award Winners
Position Key
QB RB TE WR Wide receiver
DE DT LB S Safety
K KR P PR Punt Returner
Season Player School Position
LB
QB
QB
(2) Bowling Green QB
QB
RB
QB
QB
Central Michigan QB
Bowling Green QB
(2) Bowling Green QB
Ball State QB
Central Michigan RB
RB
Ball State P
WR
Miami RB
Marshall QB
Western Michigan RB
Marshall QB
(2) Marshall QB
2003[24] Miami QB
QB
2005Toledo QB
2005* Western Michigan WR
Northern Illinois RB
Northern Illinois DE
(2) Northern Illinois DE
Central Michigan QB
Northern Illinois RB
Northern Illinois QB
Northern Illinois QB
(2) Northern Illinois QB
Toledo OL
Bowling Green QB
Western Michigan QB
Toledo QB
Northern Illinois DE
Western Michigan RB
Buffalo RB
Kent State QB
Ohio QB
Toledo QB

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Northern Illinois (1975) 9 1983, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2018
Bowling Green (1952) 5 1984, 1985, 1991, 1992, 2015
Toledo (1952) 5 1995, 2005, 2014, 2017, 2023
Central Michigan (1975) 4 1982, 1990, 1994, 2009
Marshall (1954) 4 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002
Western Michigan (1948) 4 1988, 2000, 2005, 2016
Ball State (1975) 3 1989, 1993, 1996
Miami (1948) 3 1986, 1998, 2003
Kent State (1951) 2 1987, 2021
Buffalo (1999) 1 2020
Akron (1992) 1 2004
Ohio (1947) 1 2022
Eastern Michigan (1976) 0
Temple (2007) 0
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati(1947) 0
Central Florida (2002) 0
UMass (2011) 0

Coach of the Year

The MAC has awarded a Coach of the Year award every year since 1965. The first award went to Bo Schembechler of Miami University. Only one coach has won the award more than twice, with Frank Lauterbur winning the award in 1967, 1969, and 1970. Only two coaches have won the award beyond their tenth year of coaching. Bill Hess won the award in 1968 in his 11th year of coaching the Ohio Bobcats and Herb Deromedi won the award in 1990, his 13th year of coaching Central Michigan. Also, only one coach, Bill Mallory, has won the award coaching two separate teams. He first earned the award in 1973 while coaching Miami University, and then won ten years later giving Northern Illinois their first Coach of the Year award. Toledo leads all schools with nine awards. Temple won their first award in 2009 when head coach Al Golden won his first MAC Coach of the Year award.[1]

Winners

Source:[2]

Coach (X)Denotes the number of times the coach has been selected
Season Coach School Year with school Record
3rd 7–3 (5–1)
3rd 7–3 (5–1)
5th 9–1 (5–1)
11th 10–1 (6–0)
(2) Toledo 7th 11–0 (5–0)
(3) Toledo 8th 12–0 (5–0)
Toledo1st 12–0 (5–0)
1st 6–5 (4–1)
Miami 5th 11–0 (5–0)
Miami1st 10–0–1 (5–0)
1st 9–2 (4–2)
Western Michigan 2nd 7–4 (6–3)
2nd 8–3 (4–3)
Ball State 1st 10–1 (8–0)
Toledo 3rd 7–3–1 (7–1–1)
3rd 9–2 (7–2)
(2) Toledo 5th 9–3 (8–1)
6th 7–5 (7–2)
(2) 3rd 10–2 (8–1)
Toledo 3rd 9–2–1 (7–1–1)
(2) Bowling Green 9th 11–1 (9–0)
Kent State 1st 5–6 (5–3)
Eastern Michigan 5th 10–2 (7–1)
Western Michigan 2nd 9–3 (7–1)
Ball State 5th 7–3–2 (6–1–1)
(2) Central Michigan 13th 8–3–1 (7–1)
Bowling Green 1st 11–1 (8–0)
(2) Bowling Green 2nd 10–2 (8–0)
(2) Ball State 9th 8–3–1 (7–0–1)
Central Michigan 1st 9–3 (8–1)
Toledo 5th 11–0–1 (7–0–1)
Ohio 2nd 6–6 (5–3)
(2) Toledo 7th 9–3 (7–1)
2nd 12–1 (7–1)
(2) Marshall 3rd 13–0 (8–0)
Western Michigan 4th 9–3 (7–1)
Bowling Green 1st 8–3 (5–3)
Northern Illinois 6th 8–4 (7–1)
Miami5th 13–1 (8–0)
1st 6–5 (6–2)
Western Michigan 1st 7–4 (5–3)
Ohio 2nd 9–5 (7–1)
2nd 5–7 (5–3)
Ball State 6th 12–2 (8–0)
3rd 9–3 (7–1)
Miami 2nd 9–4 (8–1)
Eastern Michigan 3rd 6–6 (4–4)
Kent State 2nd 11–3 (8–0)
Northern Illinois 1st 12–1 (8–0)
Western Michigan 2nd 8–5 (6–2)
Toledo 5th 9–2 (6–2)
(2) Western Michigan 4th 13–1 (8–0)
Toledo 2nd 11–3 (7–1)
Buffalo 4th 10–4 (7–1)
Central Michigan 1st 8–6 (6–2)
(2) Buffalo 6th 6–1 (5–0)
Northern Illinois 3rd 9–5 (6–2)
Ohio 2nd 10–4 (7–1)
(2) Toledo 8th 11–1 (8–0)

Winners by school

School (First season) Wins Years
Toledo (1952) 11 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1979, 1871, 1984, 1995, 1997, 2015, 2017, 2023
Western Michigan (1948) 7 1966, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2005, 2014, 2016
Central Michigan (1975) 6 1980, 1990, 1994, 1977, 1987, 2019
Miami (1948) 5 1965, 1973, 1974, 2003, 2010
Ball State (1975) 5 1975, 1978, 1989, 1993, 2008
Bowling Green (1952) 5 1982, 1985, 1991, 1991, 2001
Northern Illinois (1975) 4 1983, 2002, 2013, 2021
Ohio (1947) 4 1968, 1996, 2006, 2022
Eastern Michigan (1976) 3 1977, 1987, 2011
Kent State (1951) 3 1972, 1986, 2012
Buffalo (1999) 3 2007, 2018. 2020
Marshall (1954) 2 1988, 1999
Akron (1992) 1 2004
Temple (2007) 1 2009
Butler (1947) 0
Cincinnati (1947) 0
Central Florida (2002) 0
UMass (2011) 0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MAC Announces 2009 Post Season Awards. 2 December 2009. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  2. Web site: History and Records. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  3. Web site: Three MAC Football Specialty Awards Handed Out. 2 December 2003. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  4. Web site: MAC Announces 2004 Individual Football Awards. 30 November 2004. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  5. Web site: All-MAC Football Awards Announced. 28 November 2005. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  6. Web site: All-MAC Football Team and Individual Award Winners Announced. 27 November 2006. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  7. Web site: MAC Announces 2007 Football Awards. 27 November 2007. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  8. Web site: MAC Announces Football Post Season Awards. 3 December 2008. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  9. Web site: MAC Announces 2010 Football Post Season Awards. 1 December 2010. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  10. Web site: MAC Names 2011 All-MAC Teams & Post Season Awards. 30 November 2011. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  11. Web site: MAC Announces 2012 Football Postseason Awards. 28 November 2012. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  12. Web site: MAC Announces 2013 All-MAC Teams & Postseason Awards. 4 December 2013. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  13. Web site: MAC Announces 2014 All-MAC Teams & Postseason Football Awards. 3 December 2014. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  14. Web site: MAC Announces 2015 All-MAC Football Teams and Post Season Awards. 2 December 2015. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  15. Web site: MAC Announces 2016 All-MAC Teams and Postseason Awards. 30 November 2016. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  16. Web site: MAC Announces 2017 Postseason Football Awards. 29 November 2017. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  17. Web site: MAC Announces 2018 All-MAC First, Second, Third Teams and Postseason Awards. 28 November 2018. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  18. Web site: MAC Announces 2019 All-MAC Teams & Postseason Awards. 4 December 2019. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  19. Web site: MAC Announces 2020 Football All-MAC and Specialty Awards. 14 December 2020. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  20. Web site: MAC Announces 2021 Postseason Football Awards & All-MAC Teams. 1 December 2021. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.
  21. Web site: MAC Announces 2022 Postseason Football Awards & All-Conference Teams. Mid-American Conference. en.
  22. Web site: MAC Announces 2023 Postseason Football Awards & All-Conference Teams. Mid-American Conference. en.
  23. Web site: MAC Names 2011 All-MAC Teams & Post Season Awards. 12 December 2011.
  24. Web site: Miami's Ben Roethlisberger Wins Vern Smith Leadership Award. 3 December 2004. 19 November 2022. Mid-American Conference.

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