AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES 2016 POSTSEASON FOOTBALL AWARD WINNERS
USF’s Flowers Named Offensive Player of the Year; UCF’s Griffin Chosen as Defensive Player of the Year; Memphis’ Pollard is Special Teams Players of the Year;
Houston’s Oliver is Rookie of the Year; Navy’s Niumatalolo Repeats as Coach of the Year
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – USF quarterback Quinton Flowers, who has led the Bulls to their most successful season in program history, and UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who has helped the Knights to a remarkable turnaround in 2016, were honored as the American Athletic Conference’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year by the league’s 12 head coaches.
Memphis return specialist Tony Pollard was chosen as The American’s Special Teams Player of the Year. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver was the coaches’ choice as Rookie of the Year.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, who led the Midshipmen to the outright West Division title, won The American’s Coach of the Year honor for the second straight year.
Flowers was chosen as the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after he finished the regular season as the only player in the conference to both throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000. He set school records for total offense (3,976 yards), rushing yards (1,425), rushing touchdowns (15) and total touchdowns (37) and is the American Athletic Conference leader in pass efficiency (153.5). Flowers set the American Athletic Conference single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback and ranked third among all league players in rushing, averaging 118.8 yards per game and 8.1 yards per carry. Beyond the numbers, Flowers directed a USF offense that scored at least 30 points in every game this season, and in 15 straight games, dating to 2015, helping the Bulls to 10 wins for the first time in school history. Flowers is the first USF player to win a major individual football award from the conference.
Griffin becomes the third UCF player to win a major football honor from The American, following Blake Bortles (the 2013 Offensive Player of the Year) and Jacoby Glenn (the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year). Griffin made an immediate impact in his first year as a starter, finishing as the American Athletic Conference leader in sacks (11.0) and ranking third in the conference in tackles for loss (19.0). Griffin finished the regular season with 85 total tackles along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six pass breakups and an interception, helping the Knights - who went winless in 2015 - to six wins and bowl eligibility in 2016.
Pollard continued Memphis’ hold on The American’s Special Teams Player of the Year award, giving the Tigers the winner of that honor for the fourth straight year (joining punter Tom Hornsey in 2013 and kicker Jake Elliott, who won in 2014 and 2015). Pollard ranks ninth nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 28.4 yards per attempt, and had 993 yards on kickoffs as a freshman. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, finishing the regular season as the only player in The American with more than one special teams touchdown. Prior to this season, Memphis had not scored on a kickoff return since 1996.
Oliver becomes the second Houston player to be named as The American Rookie of the Year (quarterback John O’Korn won in 2013). A unanimous selection to the all-conference first team as well, Oliver made an immediate impact on the Cougars, who finished the regular season ranked second nationally in rushing defense (97.9 yards per game). Oliver finished second in the conference in tackles for loss (19.5) and had 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, a team-high nine pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries.
Niumatalolo repeated as American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after his Midshipmen went 7-1 in American Athletic Conference play for the second consecutive year, clinching the West Division title and home field advantage in Saturday’s conference championship game. Despite returning only one offensive starter from last year’s team, and losing this year’s starting quarterback to a season-ending injury on Opening Day, the Midshipmen have been one of the most prolific offensive teams in the nation in 2016, ranking second in the NCAA in rushing (342.0 ypg), and 11th in scoring (41.7 ppg). Along the way, Navy has committed the fewest penalties (30) and has the second-fewest turnovers (9) of any team in the nation.
In addition to the major award-winners, The American also named its first, second and honorable mention all-conference teams. Oliver and Temple defensive end Haason Reddick were both unanimously selected to the first team in 2016, while Memphis kicker Jake Elliott becomes the first player in conference history to be named to the first team four times.
2016 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Quinton Flowers, QB, USF (Jr., Miami, Fla.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF (Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tony Pollard, WR/KR, Memphis (Fr., Memphis, Tenn.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston (Fr., Houston, Texas.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Ken Niumatalolo, Navy
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/Last School
WR
Zay Jones 2
East Carolina
Sr.
6-1
197
Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin
WR
Courtland Sutton
SMU
So.
6-4
215
Brenham, Texas/Brenham
WR
Keevan Lucas 2
Tulsa
Sr.
5-10
195
Abilene, Texas/Abilene
OT
Kofi Amichia
USF
Sr.
6-4
297
Riverdale, Ga./McEachern
OT
Dion Dawkins 2
Temple
Sr.
6-5
320
Rahway, N.J./Rahway
OG
Adam West
Navy
Sr.
6-3
297
Spring, Texas/Klein
OG
Blake Belcher
Tulsa
Sr.
6-5
304
Guthrie, Okla./Guthrie
C
Chandler Miller
Tulsa
So.
6-3
290
Bixby, Okla./Bixby
TE
Daniel Montiel
Memphis
Sr.
6-3
240
Arlington, Texas/Arlington
QB
Quinton Flowers
USF
Jr.
6-0
210
Miami, Fla./Miami Jackson
RB
Marlon Mack 1 1
USF
Jr.
6-0
195
Sarasota, Fla./Booker
RB
James Flanders
Tulsa
Sr.
5-10
203
Midwest City, Okla./Midwest City
DL
Ed Oliver *
Houston
Fr.
6-2
290
Houston, Texas/Westfield
DL
Justin Lawler
SMU
Jr.
6-4
262
Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro
DL
Haason Reddick H *
Temple
Sr.
6-1
230
Camden, N.J./Haddon Heights
DL
Tanzel Smart 1
Tulane
Sr.
6-1
304
Baton Rouge, La./Scotlandville Magnet
LB
Shaquem Griffin
UCF
Jr.
6-1
213
St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood
LB
Eric Wilson 2
Cincinnati
Sr.
6-2
225
Redford, Mich./Northwestern
LB
Steven Taylor 2
Houston
Sr.
6-1
225
Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill
LB
Genard Avery
Memphis
So.
6-2
230
Byhalia, Miss./Byhalia
LB
Nico Marley H 1
Tulane
Sr.
5-10
208
Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay
CB
Howard Wilson
Houston
So.
6-1
185
DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto
CB
Horace Richardson
SMU
Sr.
6-0
201
Everman, Texas/Everman
S
Obi Melifonwu
UConn
Sr.
6-3
217
South Grafton, Mass./Grafton
S
Darrion Millines
SMU
Sr.
6-0
208
Boynton Beach, Fla./American Heritage
K
Jake Elliott 1 1 1
Memphis
Sr.
5-10
165
Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township
P
Spencer Smith 2 1
Memphis
So.
6-1
195
Newnan, Ga./East Coweta
RS
Tony Pollard
Memphis
Fr
5-11
200
Memphis, Tenn./Melrose
* unanimous selection
1 2 H indicates previous selections to first team, second team, or honorable mention
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/Last School
WR
Noel Thomas
UConn
Sr.
6-1
202
Norwalk, Conn./St. Luke’s School
WR
Anthony Miller
Memphis
Jr.
5-11
190
Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers
WR
Rodney Adams H
USF
Sr.
6-1
190
St. Petersburg, Fla./Toledo
OT
Blake Copeland
Navy
Sr.
6-4
223
Brownsville, Texas/Los Fresnos
OT
Evan Plagg
Tulsa
Jr.
6-3
292
Guthrie, Okla./Guthrie
OG
Dominique Threatt
USF
Sr.
6-1
330
Atlanta, Ga./Tri-Cities
OG
Tyler Bowling
Tulsa
So.
6-6
325
Yukon, Okla./Yukon
C
Maurice Morris
Navy
Sr.
6-2
327
La Porte, Texas/La Porte
TE
Mitchell Wilcox
USF
Fr.
6-4
248
Tarpon Springs, Fla./Tarpon Springs
QB
Greg Ward Jr. 2
Houston
Sr.
5-11
190
USF’s Flowers Named Offensive Player of the Year; UCF’s Griffin Chosen as Defensive Player of the Year; Memphis’ Pollard is Special Teams Players of the Year;
Houston’s Oliver is Rookie of the Year; Navy’s Niumatalolo Repeats as Coach of the Year
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – USF quarterback Quinton Flowers, who has led the Bulls to their most successful season in program history, and UCF linebacker Shaquem Griffin, who has helped the Knights to a remarkable turnaround in 2016, were honored as the American Athletic Conference’s Offensive and Defensive Players of the Year by the league’s 12 head coaches.
Memphis return specialist Tony Pollard was chosen as The American’s Special Teams Player of the Year. Houston defensive tackle Ed Oliver was the coaches’ choice as Rookie of the Year.
Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo, who led the Midshipmen to the outright West Division title, won The American’s Coach of the Year honor for the second straight year.
Flowers was chosen as the American Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year after he finished the regular season as the only player in the conference to both throw for 2,000 yards and rush for 1,000. He set school records for total offense (3,976 yards), rushing yards (1,425), rushing touchdowns (15) and total touchdowns (37) and is the American Athletic Conference leader in pass efficiency (153.5). Flowers set the American Athletic Conference single-season record for rushing yards by a quarterback and ranked third among all league players in rushing, averaging 118.8 yards per game and 8.1 yards per carry. Beyond the numbers, Flowers directed a USF offense that scored at least 30 points in every game this season, and in 15 straight games, dating to 2015, helping the Bulls to 10 wins for the first time in school history. Flowers is the first USF player to win a major individual football award from the conference.
Griffin becomes the third UCF player to win a major football honor from The American, following Blake Bortles (the 2013 Offensive Player of the Year) and Jacoby Glenn (the 2014 Defensive Player of the Year). Griffin made an immediate impact in his first year as a starter, finishing as the American Athletic Conference leader in sacks (11.0) and ranking third in the conference in tackles for loss (19.0). Griffin finished the regular season with 85 total tackles along with two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, six pass breakups and an interception, helping the Knights - who went winless in 2015 - to six wins and bowl eligibility in 2016.
Pollard continued Memphis’ hold on The American’s Special Teams Player of the Year award, giving the Tigers the winner of that honor for the fourth straight year (joining punter Tom Hornsey in 2013 and kicker Jake Elliott, who won in 2014 and 2015). Pollard ranks ninth nationally in kickoff returns, averaging 28.4 yards per attempt, and had 993 yards on kickoffs as a freshman. He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns, finishing the regular season as the only player in The American with more than one special teams touchdown. Prior to this season, Memphis had not scored on a kickoff return since 1996.
Oliver becomes the second Houston player to be named as The American Rookie of the Year (quarterback John O’Korn won in 2013). A unanimous selection to the all-conference first team as well, Oliver made an immediate impact on the Cougars, who finished the regular season ranked second nationally in rushing defense (97.9 yards per game). Oliver finished second in the conference in tackles for loss (19.5) and had 5.0 sacks, three forced fumbles, a team-high nine pass breakups and seven quarterback hurries.
Niumatalolo repeated as American Athletic Conference Coach of the Year after his Midshipmen went 7-1 in American Athletic Conference play for the second consecutive year, clinching the West Division title and home field advantage in Saturday’s conference championship game. Despite returning only one offensive starter from last year’s team, and losing this year’s starting quarterback to a season-ending injury on Opening Day, the Midshipmen have been one of the most prolific offensive teams in the nation in 2016, ranking second in the NCAA in rushing (342.0 ypg), and 11th in scoring (41.7 ppg). Along the way, Navy has committed the fewest penalties (30) and has the second-fewest turnovers (9) of any team in the nation.
In addition to the major award-winners, The American also named its first, second and honorable mention all-conference teams. Oliver and Temple defensive end Haason Reddick were both unanimously selected to the first team in 2016, while Memphis kicker Jake Elliott becomes the first player in conference history to be named to the first team four times.
2016 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Quinton Flowers, QB, USF (Jr., Miami, Fla.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF (Jr., St. Petersburg, Fla.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tony Pollard, WR/KR, Memphis (Fr., Memphis, Tenn.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Ed Oliver, DT, Houston (Fr., Houston, Texas.)
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Ken Niumatalolo, Navy
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/Last School
WR
Zay Jones 2
East Carolina
Sr.
6-1
197
Austin, Texas/Stephen F. Austin
WR
Courtland Sutton
SMU
So.
6-4
215
Brenham, Texas/Brenham
WR
Keevan Lucas 2
Tulsa
Sr.
5-10
195
Abilene, Texas/Abilene
OT
Kofi Amichia
USF
Sr.
6-4
297
Riverdale, Ga./McEachern
OT
Dion Dawkins 2
Temple
Sr.
6-5
320
Rahway, N.J./Rahway
OG
Adam West
Navy
Sr.
6-3
297
Spring, Texas/Klein
OG
Blake Belcher
Tulsa
Sr.
6-5
304
Guthrie, Okla./Guthrie
C
Chandler Miller
Tulsa
So.
6-3
290
Bixby, Okla./Bixby
TE
Daniel Montiel
Memphis
Sr.
6-3
240
Arlington, Texas/Arlington
QB
Quinton Flowers
USF
Jr.
6-0
210
Miami, Fla./Miami Jackson
RB
Marlon Mack 1 1
USF
Jr.
6-0
195
Sarasota, Fla./Booker
RB
James Flanders
Tulsa
Sr.
5-10
203
Midwest City, Okla./Midwest City
DL
Ed Oliver *
Houston
Fr.
6-2
290
Houston, Texas/Westfield
DL
Justin Lawler
SMU
Jr.
6-4
262
Pottsboro, Texas/Pottsboro
DL
Haason Reddick H *
Temple
Sr.
6-1
230
Camden, N.J./Haddon Heights
DL
Tanzel Smart 1
Tulane
Sr.
6-1
304
Baton Rouge, La./Scotlandville Magnet
LB
Shaquem Griffin
UCF
Jr.
6-1
213
St. Petersburg, Fla./Lakewood
LB
Eric Wilson 2
Cincinnati
Sr.
6-2
225
Redford, Mich./Northwestern
LB
Steven Taylor 2
Houston
Sr.
6-1
225
Cedar Hill, Texas/Cedar Hill
LB
Genard Avery
Memphis
So.
6-2
230
Byhalia, Miss./Byhalia
LB
Nico Marley H 1
Tulane
Sr.
5-10
208
Weston, Fla./Cypress Bay
CB
Howard Wilson
Houston
So.
6-1
185
DeSoto, Texas/DeSoto
CB
Horace Richardson
SMU
Sr.
6-0
201
Everman, Texas/Everman
S
Obi Melifonwu
UConn
Sr.
6-3
217
South Grafton, Mass./Grafton
S
Darrion Millines
SMU
Sr.
6-0
208
Boynton Beach, Fla./American Heritage
K
Jake Elliott 1 1 1
Memphis
Sr.
5-10
165
Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township
P
Spencer Smith 2 1
Memphis
So.
6-1
195
Newnan, Ga./East Coweta
RS
Tony Pollard
Memphis
Fr
5-11
200
Memphis, Tenn./Melrose
* unanimous selection
1 2 H indicates previous selections to first team, second team, or honorable mention
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
Pos.
Player
School
Cl.
Ht.
Wt.
Hometown/Last School
WR
Noel Thomas
UConn
Sr.
6-1
202
Norwalk, Conn./St. Luke’s School
WR
Anthony Miller
Memphis
Jr.
5-11
190
Memphis, Tenn./Christian Brothers
WR
Rodney Adams H
USF
Sr.
6-1
190
St. Petersburg, Fla./Toledo
OT
Blake Copeland
Navy
Sr.
6-4
223
Brownsville, Texas/Los Fresnos
OT
Evan Plagg
Tulsa
Jr.
6-3
292
Guthrie, Okla./Guthrie
OG
Dominique Threatt
USF
Sr.
6-1
330
Atlanta, Ga./Tri-Cities
OG
Tyler Bowling
Tulsa
So.
6-6
325
Yukon, Okla./Yukon
C
Maurice Morris
Navy
Sr.
6-2
327
La Porte, Texas/La Porte
TE
Mitchell Wilcox
USF
Fr.
6-4
248
Tarpon Springs, Fla./Tarpon Springs
QB
Greg Ward Jr. 2
Houston
Sr.
5-11
190
