Coaches of the Pac-12 Conference bestow the following awards at the end of each football season. The conference was founded in its current form as the Athletic Association of Western Universities in 1959, but traces its roots to the Pacific Coast Conference, founded in 1915. The conference name changed to Pacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) in 1968 and Pacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) in 1978. The conference's 2011 expansion to 12 members saw the conference formally renamed as the Pac-12 Conference.
Player of the Year
Award started in 1975 as Player of the Year, any offensive or defensive players could be winners, but only offensive players won it. The award was replaced with separate offensive and defensive selections in 1983.[1]: 120
From 1983 to 2003, this award was known simply as Pac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2004, the award was renamed as Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year in honor of Arizona State's Pat Tillman.[15]
The Glenn "Pop" Warner Memorial Trophy was awarded annually by the Palo Club to the most valuable senior player on the West Coast. It was awarded from 1949 to 2004.[1]: 113 [16][17] Notably, all but 5 recipients played for Pac-10 institutions. The award is distinguished from the unaffiliated W. J. Voit Memorial Trophy, presented annually from 1951 to 1978 to the top player on the Pacific Coast regardless of class-year.
In honor of the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the conference, an All-Century Team was unveiled on December 2, 2015, voted on by a panel of coaches, players, and the media.[28]
Note: Bold denotes offensive, defensive and coach of the Century selections. The voting panel was made up of 119 former players, coaches and media.[29]
^"Pac-10 Names Award for Pat Tillman" (Press release). Pac-10. June 8, 2004. The Pac-10 has renamed its annual defensive player of the year award in football the Pat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year Award, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today.