American Athletic Conference Announces 2022 Football Award Winners Tulane's Spears is Geico Offensive Player of the Year; Cincinnati's Pace Named RoofClaim Defensive Player of the Year; Bearcats' Fletcher Wins Special Teams Player of the Year; Temple's Warner Named Rookie of the Year; Tulane's Fritz is Unanimous Coach of the Year

IRVING, Texas – Standout student-athletes from Tulane, Cincinnati and Temple claimed major individual awards as the American Athletic Conference announced its 2022 players of the year and all-conference selections as chosen by the league's 11 head coaches.
 
Tulane saw running back Tyjae Spears chosen as The American's Geico Offensive Player of the Year, while Green Wave coach Willie Fritz was unanimously chosen as Coach of the Year. Cincinnati had two individual award-winners as linebacker Ivan Pace Jr. was named the RoofClaim Defensive Player of the Year, while punter Mason Fletcher was tabbed as Special Teams Player of the Year. Temple freshman quarterback E.J. Warner was the coaches' choice as Rookie of the Year.
 
In addition to the individual awards, Tulane and Cincinnati both had a league-leading six players chosen to The American's all-conference first team. UCF and Houston had five first-team players each.
 
Spears becomes the first Tulane player, and the first non-quarterback, to be named as American Offensive Player of the Year. Spears finished the regular season with 1,177 rushing yards, good for third in The American, and a league-leading 14 rushing touchdowns. He registered a conference-best 972 yards and eight TDs in conference games, helping the Green Wave to a 7-1 league record (10-2 overall) and its first appearance in The American Championship Game.
 
Pace is the second consecutive Cincinnati player to be named as The American's Defensive Player of the Year, following cornerback Sauce Gardner's honor in 2021. This year's selection also marks the second consecutive conference player-of-the-year honor for Pace, who was the MAC Defensive Player of the Year at Miami (Ohio) last season. An Associated Press Mid-Season All-America choice and a finalist for the Butkus Award and the Bednarik Award, Pace leads The American with 120 tackles and 19.5 tackles for loss and is second in the conference with 9.0 sacks.
 
Fletcher is Cincinnati's first player to win American Special Teams Player of the Year honors. The sophomore leads The American and is fourth nationally with a 46.7-yard punting average and 28 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line. He hit 14 punts of at least 50 yards, including an 84-yard punt that shattered The American's distance record. A Ray Guy Award finalist, Fletcher helped Cincinnati finish the regular season ranked second nationally in net punting at 44.7 yards.
 
Warner becomes the first Temple player to be chosen as The American's Rookie of the Year. The true freshman took over as the Owls' starter in the third game of the season and finished the 2022 campaign with  3,028 passing yards and 18 touchdown passes, capped by a 527-yard, five-touchdown effort in the season finale against East Carolina. Warner finished fourth in The American in passing, averaging 275.3 yards per game in his debut season.
 
Fritz was the unanimous choice of his peers as American Coach of the Year after he orchestrated Tulane's turnaround from a 2-10 season in 2021 to a 10-2 showing and a first-place finish in The American's regular-season standings. The Green Wave is ranked No. 18 in this week's Associated Press poll as Tulane earned its first 10-win season and top-25 rankings since 1998. He is the third coach to be unanimously chosen as American Coach of the Year, joining Justin Fuente of Memphis in 2014 and Scott Frost of UCF in 2017.
 
In addition to the major award-winners, The American also named its first, second and honorable mention all-conference teams. East Carolina running back Keaton Mitchell, Houston wide receiver Nathaniel Dell and Houston offensive tackle Patrick Paul were repeat first-team selections. Navy linebacker John Marshall was the lone unanimous first-team all-conference selection.

 
2022 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE GEICO OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOFCLAIM DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Mason Fletcher, P, Cincinnati
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
E.J. Warner, QB, Temple
 
AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE COACH OF THE YEAR
Willie Fritz, Tulane *
 
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM

Pos.	Player	School	Cl.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
WR	Nathaniel Dell 1	Houston	Jr.	5-10	165	Daytona Beach, Fla.
WR	Rashee Rice H	SMU	Sr.	6-2	203	North Richland Hills, Texas
WR	Keylon Stokes 2	Tulsa	Gr.	5-10	202	Manvel, Texas
OT	Ryan Swoboda	UCF	Gr.	6-10	325	Clermont, Fla.
OT	Patrick Paul 1	Houston	So.	6-7	310	Houston, Texas
OG	Lokahi Pauole 2 H	UCF	Sr.	6-4	305	Kapolei, Hawaii
OG	Cam'Ron Johnson	Houston	So.	6-4	305	Houston, Texas
OG	Prince Pines	Tulane	Jr.	6-5	345	Baton Rouge, La.
C	Sincere Haynesworth 2	Tulane	Sr.	6-1	300	Pearland, Texas
TE	Josh Whyle H	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-6	250	Cincinnati, Ohio
QB	Clayton Tune	Houston	Sr.	6-3	220	Carrollton, Texas
RB	Keaton Mitchell 1	East Carolina	So.	5-9	184	McDonough, Ga.
RB	Tyjae Spears	Tulane	Jr.	5-11	195	Ponchatoula, La.
DL	Ricky Barber	UCF	Jr.	6-3	295	Louisville, Ky.
DL	Tre'mon Morris-Brash	UCF	Sr.	6-2	245	Richmond, Va.
DL	Jowon Briggs	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-1	313	Cincinnati, Ohio
DL	Dontay Corleone	Cincinnati	RFr.	6-2	320	Cincinnati, Ohio
DL	D'Anthony Jones	Houston	Sr.	6-2	270	Lawndale, Calif.
DL	Darian Varner	Temple	So.	6-2	260	Norfolk, Va.
LB	Jason Johnson	UCF	Jr.	6-2	200	Matteson, Ill.
LB	Ivan Pace Jr.	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-0	235	Cincinnati, Ohio
LB	John Marshall *	Navy	Sr.	6-2	209	Highland, Md.
LB	Dorian Williams 2 H	Tulane	Sr.	6-2	230	Indian Land, S.C.
CB	Ja'Quan Sheppard	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-2	200	Zephyrhills, Fla.
CB	Jarius Monroe	Tulane	Jr.	6-1	205	LaPlace, La.
S	Quindell Johnson 2 2	Memphis	Sr.	6-0	205	New Orleans, La.
S	Macon Clark H	Tulane	Sr.	6-1	205	St. Rose, La.
K	Chris Howard	Memphis	Sr.	6-2	210	Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla.
P	Mason Fletcher	Cincinnati	So.	6-7	213	Melbourne, Australia
RS	Jimmy Horn Jr.	South Florida	So.	5-10	174	Sanford, Fla.

                                                                                                                       
* unanimous selection
 
 

 
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM

Pos.	Player	School	Cl.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
WR	Ryan O'Keefe 2	UCF	Sr.	5-10	175	Austin, Texas
WR	Tyler Scott	Cincinnati	Jr.	5-11	185	Norton, Ohio
WR	C.J. Johnson	East Carolina	Jr.	6-2	222	Greenville, N.C.
WR	Xavier Weaver	South Florida	Jr.	6-1	180	Orlando, Fla.
OT	James Tunstall	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-5	320	Indian Head, Md.
OT	Joey Claybrook	Tulane	Sr.	6-7	300	Starkville, Miss.
OG	Sam Jackson	UCF	Gr.	6-6	325	Bradenton, Fla.
OG	Justin Osborne	SMU	Jr.	6-5	309	Flower Mound, Texas
C	Matt Lee 1	UCF	Jr.	6-4	295	Oviedo, Fla.
TE	Caden Prieskorn	Memphis	Jr.	6-5	255	Lake Orion, Mich.
QB	Michael Pratt	Tulane	Jr.	6-3	220	Boca Raton, Fla.
RB	Isaiah Bowser	UCF	Gr.	6-1	220	Sidney, Ohio
RB	Brian Battie	South Florida	So.	5-8	165	Sarasota, Fla.
DL	Elijah Chatman 2	SMU	Sr.	6-0	291	Shreveport, La.
DL	Darius Hodges	Tulane	So.	6-2	280	Montgomery, Ala.
DL	Patrick Jenkins	Tulane	So.	6-2	286	New Orleans, La.
DL	Anthony Goodlow	Tulsa	Sr.	6-5	286	Del City, Okla.
LB	Xavier Cullens	Memphis	Gr.	5-11	225	Ecru, Miss.
LB	Layton Jordan	Temple	Jr.	6-2	220	McKeesport, Pa.
LB	Nick Anderson	Tulane	Sr.	5-11	230	Vicksburg, Miss.
LB	Justin Wright H	Tulsa	Sr.	6-2	244	Abilene, Texas
CB	Malik Fleming	East Carolina	Jr.	5-10	184	Fairburn, Ga.
CB	Art Green	Houston	Sr.	6-2	200	Chesterfield, Mo.
S	Ja'Von Hicks	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-2	210	Cincinnati, Ohio
S	Gervarrius Owens 1	Houston	Sr.	6-0	200	Moore, Okla.
K	Ryan Coe	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-3	227	McDonald, Pa.
P	Casey Glover	Tulane	Jr.	6-5	205	Jericho, N.Y.
RS	Jha'Quan Jackson	Tulane	Jr.	5-10	185	Luling, La.

 
 
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION

Pos.	Player	School	Cl.	Ht.	Wt.	Hometown
CB	Arquon Bush	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-0	198	Cleveland, Ohio
OT	Joe Huber	Cincinnati	So.	6-5	310	Dublin, Ohio
OG	Dylan O'Quinn 1	Cincinnati	Sr.	6-4	305	Toledo, Ohio
WR	Isaiah Winstead	East Carolina	Gr.	6-4	213	Richmond, Va.
RS	Jayce Rogers	Houston	Sr.	5-8	175	Valdosta, Ga.
DL	Jaylon Allen	Memphis	Sr.	6-3	240	Humble, Texas
CB	Davion Ross	Memphis	Jr.	5-10	175	Warner Robins, Ga.
DL	Jacob Busic	Navy	Jr.	6-4	256	Westminster, Md.
LB	Dwayne Boyles Jr.	South Florida	Gr.	6-3	230	Miami, Fla.
C	Brad Cecil	South Florida	Gr.	6-4	294	Jacksonville, Fla.
OG	Jaylon Thomas 2	SMU	Sr.	6-5	311	Lubbock, Texas
S	Larry Brooks	Tulane	Sr.	6-1	200	Fort Worth, Texas
TE	Tyrick James	Tulane	Sr.	6-2	235	Waco, Texas
CB	Tyon Davis	Tulsa	Gr.	6-0	186	Putnam City, Okla.

 
^{1 2 H} indicates previous selections to the first, second or honorable mention all-conference teams

                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                               
American Athletic Conference Offensive Players of the Year
2013        Blake Bortles, QB, UCF
2014        Shane Carden, QB, East Carolina
2015        Keenan Reynolds, QB, Navy
2016        Quinton Flowers, QB, USF
2017         McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF
2018        McKenzie Milton, QB, UCF
2019        Malcolm Perry, QB, Navy
2020        Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
2021        Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
2022        Tyjae Spears, RB, Tulane
               
American Athletic Conference Defensive Players of the Year
2013        Marcus Smith, DE, Louisville
2014        Jacoby Glenn, CB, UCF
                Tank Jakes, LB, Memphis
2015        Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple
2016        Shaquem Griffin, LB, UCF
2017         Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
2018        Nate Harvey, DE, East Carolina
2019        Quincy Roche, DE, Temple
2020        Zaven Collins, LB, Tulsa *
2021        Ahmad Gardner, CB, Cincinnati *
2022        Ivan Pace Jr., LB, Cincinnati
               
American Athletic Conference Special Teams Players of the Year
2013        Demarcus Ayers, WR/KR, Houston
                Tom Hornsey, P, Memphis
2014        Jake Elliott, K, Memphis
2015        Jake Elliott, K, Memphis
2016        Tony Pollard, WR/RS, Memphis
2017         Tony Pollard, WR/RS, Memphis
2018        Isaiah Wright, WR/RS, Temple
2019        Dane Roy, P, Houston
                Antonio Gibson, WR/RS, Memphis
2020        Chris Naggar, K, SMU
2021        Marcus Jones, CB/RS, Houston
2022        Mason Fletcher, P, Cincinnati
               
American Athletic Conference Rookies of the Year
2013        John O'Korn, QB, Houston
2014        Marlon Mack, RB, USF
2015        Tre'Quan Smith, WR, UCF
2016        Ed Oliver, DT, Houston
2017         T.J. Carter, CB, Memphis
2018        Desmond Ridder, QB, Cincinnati
2019        Kenneth Gainwell, RB, Memphis
2020        Rahjai Harris, RB, East Carolina
                Ulysses Bentley IV, RB, SMU
2021        Alton McCaskill, RB, Houston
2022        E.J. Warner, QB, Temple
               
American Athletic Conference Coaches of the Year
2013        George O'Leary, UCF *
2014        Justin Fuente, Memphis *
2015        Tom Herman, Houston
                Ken Niumatalolo, Navy
2016        Ken Niumatalolo, Navy
2017         Scott Frost, UCF *
2018        Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
2019        Ken Niumatalolo, Navy
2020        Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
2021        Luke Fickell, Cincinnati
2022        Willie Fritz, Tulane *