| Tulane’s Pratt is Offensive Player of the Year; UTSA’s Moore Named Defensive Player of the Year; Florida Atlantic’s Wester Wins Special Teams Player of the Year; Tulane’s Hughes Named Rookie of the Year; Green Wave’s Fritz Repeats as Coach of the Year |
IRVING, Texas – Student-athletes from Tulane, UTSA and Florida Atlantic claimed major individual awards as the American Athletic Conference announced its 2023 players of the year and all-conference selections as chosen by the league’s 14 head coaches.
Tulane had three individual award winners as quarterback Michael Pratt was named as The American’s Offensive Player of the Year, running back Makhi Hughes was chosen as Rookie of the Year and head coach Willie Fritz was tabbed as Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season.
UTSA linebacker Trey Moore was the choice of the head coaches as Defensive Player of the Year, while Florida Atlantic wide receiver and return specialist LaJohntay Wester was named as the Special Teams Player of the year.
In addition to the individual awards, Tulane and SMU – the two participants in the American Athletic Conference Championship Game, both had a conference-record 17 players chosen to The American’s all-conference teams.
Pratt becomes the second consecutive Tulane player to be named as Offensive Player of the Year, following running back Tyjae Spears’ win last season. Pratt has gone 10-0 as Tulane’s starter this season is 21-2 as the starter in the last two years, leading the Green Wave to back-to-back appearances in The American Championship Game. Pratt leads The American and ranks 10th nationally in pass efficiency (164.94) and enters the postseason with 2,168 passing yards and 21 touchdowns against only four interceptions – the fewest of any starting quarterback in The American.
A four-year starter, Pratt has passed for 9,364 career yards and 89 touchdowns with 25 interceptions and has 27 career rushing touchdowns.
Moore was named Defensive Player of the Year in UTSA’s first season as an American Athletic Conference member after he finished the regular season with an FBS-leading 14 sacks, leaving him a half-sack shy of The American’s single-season record. Moore is sixth nationally with 17.5 tackles for loss and has 45 total tackles to go with an interception, three pass breakups and a fumble recovery.
Wester becomes Florida Atlantic’s first American Athletic Conference postseason honoree after he finished as the conference leader in punt return average at 19.9 yards per return. Wester had 14 returns for 278 yards and a touchdown and also finished as The American’s leading receiver at 97.3 yards per game. Wester was second in The American in all-purpose yards at 126.7 yards per game.
Fritz becomes the third American Athletic Conference coach to repeat as Coach of the Year, joining Navy’s Ken Niumatalolo (2015-16) and Cincinnati’s Luke Fickell (2020-21). Fritz has led Tulane to its best two-year period in program history as the Green Wave has gone 23-3 since the start of the 2022 season, including a 15-1 mark in conference games. Fritz enters The American Championship Game ranked fifth among all FBS coaches with 208 career victories and led Tulane to its first 8-0 season in conference play since 1934.
In addition to the major award-winners, The American also named its first, second, third and honorable mention all-conference teams. Tulane center Sincere Haynesworth and cornerback Jarius Monroe were the only repeat first-team selections, while Wester was named to the first team at both wide receiver and as a return specialist.
2023 AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE FOOTBALL AWARDS
OFFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Michael Pratt, QB, Tulane
DEFENSIVE PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Trey Moore, LB, UTSA
SPECIAL TEAMS PLAYER OF THE YEAR
LaJohntay Wester, WR/RS, Florida Atlantic
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane
COACH OF THE YEAR
Willie Fritz, Tulane
ALL-CONFERENCE FIRST TEAM
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown |
| WR | LaJohntay Wester | Florida Atlantic | Jr. | 5-11 | 167 | Palmetto, Fla. |
| WR | Luke McCaffrey | Rice | Jr. | 6-2 | 198 | Highlands Ranch, Colo. |
| WR | Joshua Cephus | UTSA | Sr. | 6-3 | 185 | Houston, Texas |
| OT | Marcus Bryant | SMU | Sr. | 6-8 | 318 | Round Rock, Texas |
| OT | Cameron Wire | Tulane | Sr. | 6-6 | 305 | Gonzalez, La. |
| OG | Justin Osborne | SMU | Sr. | 6-5 | 314 | Flower Mound, Texas |
| OG | Logan Parr | SMU | Jr. | 6-4 | 314 | Helotes, Texas |
| C | Sincere Haynesworth 2 1 | Tulane | Sr. | 6-1 | 310 | Pearland, Texas |
| TE | RJ Maryland | SMU | So. | 6-4 | 233 | Southlake, Texas |
| QB | Frank Harris | UTSA | Sr. | 6-0 | 205 | Schertz, Texas |
| QB | Michael Pratt 2 | Tulane | Sr. | 6-3 | 220 | Boca Raton, Fla. |
| RB | Blake Watson | Memphis | Sr. | 5-9 | 195 | Queens, N.Y. |
| RB | Makhi Hughes | Tulane | RFr. | 5-11 | 205 | Birmingham, Ala. |
| DL | Elijah Chatman 2 2 | SMU | Gr. | 6-0 | 278 | Shreveport, La. |
| DL | Darius Hodges 2 | Tulane | Jr. | 6-2 | 280 | Montgomery, Ala. |
| DL | Patrick Jenkins 2 | Tulane | Jr. | 6-2 | 305 | New Orleans, La. |
| DL | Ben Kopenski | Tulsa | Gr. | 6-1 | 255 | McKinney, Texas |
| LB | Demetrius Knight II | Charlotte | Sr. | 6-2 | 248 | Locust Grove, Ga. |
| LB | Colin Ramos | Navy | Jr. | 5-11 | 215 | Wayne, N.J. |
| LB | Chandler Martin | Memphis | So. | 6-0 | 215 | Lithonia, Ga. |
| LB | Trey Moore | UTSA | So. | 6-3 | 235 | San Antonio, Texas |
| CB | Kam Alexander | UTSA | Jr. | 5-11 | 175 | Manvel, Texas |
| CB | Jarius Monroe 1 | Tulane | Sr. | 6-2 | 205 | LaPlace, La. |
| S | Julius Wood | East Carolina | Sr. | 6-1 | 194 | Columbus, Ohio |
| S | Rashad Wisdom | UTSA | Sr. | 5-9 | 210 | Converse, Texas |
| K | Collin Rogers | SMU | So. | 6-4 | 206 | Prattville, Ala. |
| P | Riley Reithman | Navy | Jr. | 5-10 | 191 | Keller, Texas |
| RS | LaJohntay Wester | Florida Atlantic | Jr. | 5-11 | 167 | Palmetto, Fla. |
ALL-CONFERENCE SECOND TEAM
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown |
| WR | Roc Taylor | Memphis | Jr. | 6-3 | 215 | Oxford, Ala. |
| WR | Ja’Mori Maclin | North Texas | So. | 5-11 | 183 | Kirkwood, Mo. |
| WR | Sean Atkins | South Florida | Gr. | 5-10 | 172 | Viera, Fla. |
| OT | Chaz Neal | Florida Atlantic | Sr. | 6-8 | 315 | Tampa, Fla. |
| OT | Xavier Hill | Memphis | So. | 6-4 | 318 | Olive Branch, Miss. |
| OG | Gabe Blair | North Texas | Jr. | 6-2 | 294 | Denton, Texas |
| OG | Terrell Haynes | UTSA | Sr. | 6-3 | 345 | Arlington, Texas |
| C | Branson Hickman | SMU | Jr. | 6-3 | 294 | McKinney, Texas |
| TE | David Martin-Robinson | Temple | Gr. | 6-4 | 255 | Landisville, Pa. |
| QB | Seth Henigan | Memphis | Jr. | 6-3 | 210 | Denton, Texas |
| RB | Ayo Adeyi | North Texas | Jr. | 5-7 | 192 | Mansfield, Texas |
| RB | Jaylan Knighton | SMU | Sr. | 5-10 | 185 | Lauderhill, Fla. |
| DL | Eyabi Okie-Anoma | Charlotte | Gr. | 6-5 | 267 | Baltimore, Md. |
| DL | D’Anta Johnson | East Carolina | Jr. | 6-2 | 294 | Dinwiddie, Va. |
| DL | Jaylon Allen H | Memphis | Sr. | 6-3 | 240 | Humble, Texas |
| DL | Elijah Roberts | SMU | Sr. | 6-4 | 278 | Miami, Fla. |
| LB | Kobe Wilson | SMU | Jr. | 6-0 | 226 | Snellville, Ga. |
| LB | Donyai Taylor | UTSA | Sr. | 6-1 | 205 | Shiner, Texas |
| LB | Jordan Magee | Temple | Gr. | 6-3 | 225 | Dover, Del. |
| LB | Jesus Machado | Tulane | Jr. | 6-1 | 220 | Miami, Fla. |
| CB | Shavon Revel | East Carolina | Jr. | 6-2 | 185 | Winston-Salem, N.C. |
| CB | Lance Robinson | Tulane | Sr. | 5-11 | 180 | New Orleans, La. |
| S | Kam Pedescleaux | Tulane | Sr. | 5-9 | 185 | Houston, Texas |
| S | Kendarin Ray H | Tulsa | Sr. | 6-3 | 213 | Brenham, Texas |
| K | Chase Allen | UTSA | Jr. | 6-2 | 195 | Colleyville, Texas |
| P | Lucas Dean | UTSA | Sr. | 6-2 | 215 | Dunsborough, Australia |
| RS | Roderick Daniels Jr. | SMU | Jr. | 5-9 | 182 | Duncanville, Texas |
ALL-CONFERENCE THIRD TEAM
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown |
| WR | Tejhaun Palmer | UAB | Sr. | 6-2 | 210 | Milwaukee, Wis. |
| WR | Chris Brazzell | Tulane | RFr. | 6-5 | 195 | Midland, Texas |
| WR | Lawrence Keys III | Tulane | Sr. | 5-11 | 170 | New Orleans, La. |
| OT | Ernesto Almaraz | UTSA | Sr. | 6-2 | 295 | Los Angeles, Calif. |
| OT | Rashad Green | Tulane | Jr. | 6-4 | 300 | Baton Rouge, La. |
| OG | Febechi Nwaiwu | North Texas | So. | 6-4 | 316 | Coppell, Texas |
| OG | Chester Baah | Tulsa | Sr. | 6-3 | 303 | Tulsa, Okla. |
| C | Jacob Likes | Memphis | Sr. | 6-3 | 305 | Memphis, Tenn. |
| TE | Oscar Cardenas | UTSA | Sr. | 6-4 | 285 | San Antonio, Texas |
| QB | Preston Stone | SMU | So. | 6-1 | 219 | Dallas, Texas |
| RB | Jermaine Brown Jr. | UAB | Sr. | 5-8 | 195 | Prichard, Ala. |
| RB | Anthony Watkins | Tulsa | Sr. | 5-11 | 210 | Fort Worth, Texas |
| DL | Evan Anderson | Florida Atlantic | Jr. | 6-3 | 356 | West Orlando, Fla. |
| DL | Brandon Brown | UTSA | Jr. | 6-2 | 310 | Brandon Brown |
| DL | Joe Evans | UTSA | Sr. | 6-3 | 340 | Haynesville, La. |
| DL | Brandon Matterson | UTSA | Sr. | 6-2 | 295 | San Antonio, Texas |
| LB | Nikhai Hill-Green | Charlotte | So. | 6-2 | 232 | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| LB | Jeremy Lewis | East Carolina | Sr. | 6-2 | 237 | Greenville, NC. |
| LB | Jordan Brown | North Texas | Jr. | 6-1 | 228 | Huntsville, Texas |
| LB | Tyler Grubbs | Tulane | Jr. | 6-2 | 230 | New Orleans, La. |
| CB | Dontae Balfour | Charlotte | So. | 6-2 | 180 | Starke, Fla. |
| CB | Charles Woods | SMU | Sr. | 5-11 | 191 | Dallas, Texas |
| S | Jarron Morris | Florida Atlantic | Gr. | 5-9 | 170 | Orange, Texas |
| S | Simeon Blair | Memphis | Sr. | 5-10 | 208 | Pine Bluff, Ark. |
| S | Rayuan Lane | Navy | Jr. | 5-11 | 197 | Jessup, Md. |
| S | Jonathan McGill | SMU | Sr. | 5-10 | 186 | Coppell, Texas |
| K | Noah Rauschenberg | North Texas | Sr. | 6-0 | 198 | Tulsa, Okla. |
| K | Chase Meyer | Tulsa | So. | 5-10 | 195 | Costa Mesa, Calif. |
| P | Ryan Bujcevski | SMU | Gr. | 6-0 | 177 | Sydney, Australia |
| RS | Jha’Quan Jackson 2 | Tulane | Sr. | 5-11 | 185 | Luling, La. |
ALL-CONFERENCE HONORABLE MENTION
| Pos. | Player | School | Cl. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown |
| P | Grant Gonya | Charlotte | Sr. | 6-2 | 213 | Hudson, Ohio |
| OG | Kevin Williams Jr. | Charlotte | Sr. | 6-5 | 338 | Omaha, Neb. |
| DL | Chad Stephens | East Carolina | Jr. | 6-1 | 261 | Greensboro, N.C. |
| LB | Geoffrey Cantin-Arku | Memphis | Sr. | 6-3 | 240 | Lévis, Que. |
| LB | Will Harbour | Navy | Sr. | 6-1 | 230 | Frisco, Texas |
| CB | Dashaun Peele | Navy | Jr. | 5-11 | 197 | Norfolk, Va. |
| RB | Alex Tecza | Navy | So. | 6-0 | 195 | Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| RB | Dean Connors | Rice | Jr. | 6-2 | 210 | Kamuela, Hawaii |
| LB | Myron Morrison | Rice | Jr. | 6-3 | 215 | Humble, Texas |
| DL | Josh Pearcy | Rice | Jr. | 6-2 | 243 | Moorestown, N.J. |
| S | Gabriel Taylor | Rice | Jr. | 5-10 | 190 | Miami, Fla. |
| CB | Aamaris Brown-Bunkley | South Florida | Sr. | 5-10 | 195 | Seffner, Fla. |
| DL | Rashad Cheney Jr. | South Florida | Sr. | 6-2 | 285 | Atlanta, Ga. |
| OG | Zane Herring | South Florida | Sr. | 6-5 | 319 | Madison, Fla. |
| LB | Jhalyn Shuler | South Florida | Sr. | 6-1 | 225 | Abbeville, S.C. |
| CB | Chris Megginson | SMU | Sr. | 6-0 | 192 | Cypress, Texas |
| LB | Ahmad Walker | SMU | Jr. | 5-11 | 228 | Warner Robins, Ga. |
| OT | Hyrin White | SMU | Sr. | 6-7 | 332 | DeSoto, Texas |
| OG | Cory Godinet | UTSA | So. | 6-5 | 350 | Leone, American Samoa |
| LB | Jamal Ligon | UTSA | Sr. | 6-2 | 225 | Tyler, Texas |
| LB | Devean Deal | Tulane | So. | 6-4 | 245 | El Paso, Texas |
| P | Will Karoll | Tulane | Fr. | 6-4 | 200 | Sydney, Australia |
| RS | Shedro Louis | Tulane | Sr. | 5-8 | 170 | Immokalee, Fla. |
| OT | Darrell Simpson | Tulsa | Sr. | 6-6 | 345 | Justin, Texas |
| OG | Wisdom Quarshie | Temple | Gr. | 6-3 | 305 | Sicklerville, N.J. |
| OT | Victor Stoffel | Temple | Gr. | 6-8 | 300 | Stockholm, Sweden |
1 2 3 H indicates previous selections to The American’s 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
2023 Michael Pratt, QB, 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
2023 Trey Moore, LB, UTSA
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
2023 LaJohntay Wester, WR/RS, Florida Atlantic
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
2023 Makhi Hughes, RB, Tulane
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 *
2023 Willie Fritz, Tulane
* unanimous selection
