Coaches of thePac-12 Conference bestow the following awards at the end of eachfootball season. The conference was founded in its current form as theAthletic Association of Western Universities in 1959, but traces its roots to thePacific Coast Conference, founded in 1915. The conference name changed toPacific-8 Conference (Pac-8) in 1968 andPacific-10 Conference (Pac-10) in 1978. The conference's2011 expansion to 12 members saw the conference formally renamed as the Pac-12 Conference.
Award started in 1975 asPlayer 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
Prior to 1975, two outside organizations presented player of the year awards. TheW. J. Voit Memorial Trophy was awarded from 1951 to 1978 to the outstanding college football player on the Pacific Coast and was awarded each year to a conference player. ThePop Warner Trophy was awarded from 1949 to 2004 to the most valuable senior on the West Coast and was not limited to conference players.
From 1983 to 2003, this award was known simply asPac-10 Defensive Player of the Year. In 2004, the award was renamed asPat Tillman Defensive Player of the Year in honor of Arizona State'sPat Tillman.[15]
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.[26]
^"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.[permanent dead link]
