The Mountain West Conference currently gives five individual football awards at the conclusion of every season. The five awards are Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, Special Teams Player of the Year, Freshman of the Year, and Coach of the Year. Recipients are selected by the votes of the conference's head coaches and a select media panel.
Player of the Year
The Mountain West Conference awarded a Player of the Year award once, during its inaugural season. It was not awarded again. SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionClassRef.1999Brian UrlacherNew MexicoLB/S
Offensive Player of the Year The Offensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at an offensive position.
Winners Positions keyQBQuarterbackRBRunning backTETight endWRWide receiverClass keyFrFreshmanSoSophomoreJrJuniorSrSenior SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionClassRef.1999Colorado StateRB2000Colorado StateQBAir ForceQB2001BYURB2002Colorado StateQB2003 (2)Colorado StateQB2004UtahQB2005New MexicoRB2006BYUQB2007Air ForceRB/WR2008UtahQB2009TCUQB2010 (2)TCUQB2011Boise StateQB2012Fresno StateQB2013 (2)Fresno StateQB2014Colorado StateQB2015San Diego StateRB2016 (2)San Diego StateRB2017San Diego StateRB2018Boise StateQB2019San Jose StateQB2020NevadaQB2021 (2)NevadaQB2022Air ForceRB2023Boise StateRB2024 (2)Boise StateRB2025UNLVQB
Winners by school School (Seasons)WinnersYearsColorado State (1999–2025)51999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2014Boise State (2011–2025)42011, 2018, 2023, 2024Air Force (1999–)32000, 2007, 2022San Diego State (1999–2025)32015, 2016, 2017BYU (1999–2011)22001, 2006Fresno State (2012–2025)22012, 2013Nevada (2012–)22020, 2021TCU (2005–2012)22009, 2010Utah (1999–2011)22004, 2008New Mexico (1999–)12005San Jose State (2013–)12019UNLV (1999–)12025
Defensive Player of the Year The Defensive Player of the Year is awarded to the player voted most outstanding at a defensive position.
Winners Positions keyDEDefensive endDTDefensive tackleLBLinebackerDBDefensive backClass keyFrFreshmanSoSophomoreJrJuniorSrSenior SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionClassRef.1999UtahDE2000Colorado StateLB2001UNLVDB2002UNLVDB2003San Diego StateLB2004 (2)San Diego StateLBUtahDB2005UtahDB2006 (2)UtahDB2007UNLVLB2008TCUDE2009 (2)TCUDE2010TCULB2011 (2)TCULB2012Fresno StateDB2013Colorado StateLB2014Utah StateLB2015San Diego StateDB2016 (2)San Diego StateDB2017Boise StateLB2018Fresno StateLB2019Boise StateDE2020San Jose StateDL2021San Diego StateDL2022San Jose StateDL2023Colorado StateDL2024UNLVLB2025New MexicoLBChris JohnsonSan Diego StateDB
Winners by school School (Seasons)WinnersYearsSan Diego State (1999–2025)62003, 2004, 2015, 2016, 2021, 2025TCU (2005–2012)42008, 2009, 2010, 2011UNLV (1999–)42001, 2002, 2007, 2024Utah (1999–2011)41999, 2004, 2005, 2006Colorado State (1999–2025)32000, 2013, 2023Boise State (2011–2025)22017, 2019Fresno State (2012–2025)22012, 2018San Jose State (2013–)22020, 2022New Mexico (1999–)12025Utah State (2013–2025)12014
Special Teams Player of the Year The Special Teams Player of the Year award is given to the player voted best on special teams. The recipient can either be a placekicker, punter, returner, or a position known as a gunner.
Winners Positions keyPKPlacekickerKRKick returnerPPunterPRPunt returnerRSReturn specialistClass keyFrFreshmanSoSophomoreJrJuniorSrSenior SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionClassRef.2006 New MexicoPK UtahPK/P2007 (2)UtahPK/P2008 (3)UtahPK/P2009TCUKR2010 (2)TCUKR2011TCUKR2012Hawai'iKR2013New MexicoKR2014Air ForcePK/P2015San Diego StateKR2016 (2)San Diego StateKR2017 (3)San Diego StateRS2018WyomingPK2019Boise StateRS2020 (2)Boise StateRS2021San Diego StateP/PK2022San Diego StateP/PK2023UNLVPK2024UNLVWR2025Hawai‘iPK
Winners by school School (Seasons)WinnersYearsSan Diego State (1999–2025)52015, 2016, 2017, 2021, 2022TCU (2005–2012)32009, 2010, 2011Utah (1999–201132006, 2007, 2008Boise State (2011–2025)22019, 2020Hawai'i (2012–)22012, 2025New Mexico (1999–)22006, 2013UNLV (1999–)22023, 2024Air Force (1999–)12014Wyoming (1999–)12018
Freshman of the Year The Freshman of the Year award is given to the conference's best freshman.
Winners Positions keyDLDefensive linemanLBLinebackerDBDefensive backQBQuarterbackRBRunning backWRWide receiverKRKick returner SeasonPlayerSchoolPositionRef.1999BYURB2000New MexicoDBUtahDL2001UNLVRB/KR2002New MexicoRB2003San Diego StateRB2004BYUWR2005TCURB2006UNLVWR2007BYURB2008Air ForceQB2009WyomingQB2010San Diego StateRB2011WyomingQB2012Fresno StateWR2013San Jose StateWR2014UNLVWR2015Boise StateQB2016WyomingLB2017UNLVQB2018NevadaRB2019Boise StateRB2020UNLVWR2021UNLVQB2022Boise StateQB2023UNLV QB2024UNLVPK2025Hawai‘iQB
Winners by school School (Seasons)WinnersYearsUNLV (1999–)82001, 2006, 2014, 2017, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2024Boise State (2011–2025)32015, 2019, 2022BYU (1999–2011)31999, 2004, 2007Wyoming (1999–)32009, 2011, 2016New Mexico (1999–)22000, 2002San Diego State (1999–2025)22003, 2010Air Force (1999–)12008Fresno State (2012–2025)12012Hawai'i (2012–)12025Nevada (2012–)12018San Jose State (2013–)12013TCU (2005–2012)12005Utah (1999–2011)12000
Coach of the Year Winners SeasonCoachSchoolRecordRef.1999Colorado State8−42000UNLV8−5 (2)Colorado State10−22001BYU12−22002New Mexico7−72003Utah10−22004 (2)Utah12−02005TCU11−12006BYU11−22007Air Force9−42008Utah13−02009 (2)TCU12−12010San Diego State9−42011Wyoming8−52012 (2)San Diego State9−42013Utah State9−52014Colorado State10−22015 (3)San Diego State11−32016Wyoming8−62017Fresno State10−42018 (2)Utah State10−22019Hawai'i10−52020San Jose State7−12021 (2)San Diego State12−22022Boise State10−42023UNLV9−52024Boise State12−22025New Mexico9−3
Winners by school School (Seasons)WinnersYearsSan Diego State (1999–2025)42010, 2012, 2015, 2021Colorado State (1999–2025)31999, 2000, 2014Utah (1999–2011)32003, 2004, 2008Boise State (2011–2025)22022, 2024BYU (1999–2011)22001, 2006New Mexico (1999–)22002, 2025TCU (2005–2012)22005, 2009UNLV (1999–)22000, 2023Utah State (2013–2025)22013, 2018Wyoming (1999–)22011, 2016Air Force (1999–)12007Fresno State (2012–2025)12017Hawai'i (2012–)12019San Jose State (2013–)12020
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